FIRE HOUND: Eye of Destruction
by M.W. Roach
Summary: An ancient legend is reborn as Orochimaru plans to awaken the Fire Hound and unleash it upon Konoha during the highly anticipated Chunin exams. COMPLETE
1. ACT I Return of Little Spark

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction**_

**_ACT I: The Return of Little Spark_**

**_CH. 1: Who's that Girl?_**

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_A Celestial voice pierces the silence of the cold, lonely darkness…_

_500 years a demon scorned  
__Betrayed by blade shall be reborn  
__A wretched beast; as cold as stone  
__Shall melt thy flesh from off thy bone_

_His Spirit lingers in thy host  
__But broken seal release his Ghost  
__He slaughters all without lament  
__Spilling blood of the innocent_

_Keep thyself calm and thy mind pure  
__And the beast shall sleep forever more  
__But lose thyself and fury found  
__Shall awaken the Wrath of Fire Hound…  
_

She struggled to open her droopy, green eyes. As she squinted through her sleepy haze, she was able to make out the sky and the clouds above. She was on her back in the grass, so slowly she sat up, groaning and holding her pounding head. Her long silver hair blanketed the ground she sat upon. She wore a blue mask over the bottom half of her face. The Kunoichi uniform that covered her body was quite uncomfortable. Her breasts swelled tightly against the jacket buttons, and the skirt was so short the top of her thighs were visable. Thank goodness she was wearing shorts that came down to just above her knees; she wasn't even wearing shoes.

Her eyes wandered to the back of a sign she was sitting next to. The girl rubbed her head and tried to stand, but a heavy weight bore on her back. All manners of weapons adorned her; kunai knives and shuriken, a small pair of matching 3 ft. ninja swords, 24'' steel rods curved at the end to form hooks, a sickle with a chain, a bow and arrows and a bullwhip all hung from her shoulders and waist by leather straps. She dropped her shoulders, causing many of the weapons to fall to her sides; the clanging noise they made as they fell against one another only made her head pound even more. The origin of all these weapons was a mystery. Questions immediately began racing through her head as she attempted to stand, only to quickly grab a hold of the sign before she toppled over, as she was quite light-headed and unbalanced.

"W…where am I?" She questioned as she took in her surroundings. Nothing looked familiar. She leaned over and glanced at the front of the sign. It read: Welcome to the Cloud Village. She cocked her head with extreme confusion. "How the hell did I get here?"

"Hello!" A cheerful voice called from behind.

Not expecting any form of company, the voice gave the confused shinobi a scare, so much so that she pushed herself away from the sign before the dizzy-spells had ceased. She stumbled around before falling flat on her face. She groaned and slowly got to her knees. She turned to see a young girl with long black hair tied high in pigtails running towards her, waving her hands wildly. She was wearing the exact same Kunoichi uniform. The silver-haired girl pulled herself up once again & grabbed a hold of the sign. The Black-haired girl stopped in front of her, and hunched herself over for a moment, panting. Once she caught her breath, she straightened herself out and flashed a big smile.

"Going home, Kaliana?" The girl asked intently.

"Who _are_ you?" Kaliana answered cautiously, eyeing the girls' matching uniform.

The girl's grin faded to a frown. She gave Kaliana a questionable look.

"Wait…You…don't know me?"

"Should I?" Kaliana asked, looking the girl over.

_That's weird…she is supposed to know who I am… _Picking up on Kaliana's apprehensive behavior, the girl could immediately tell that something was amiss. She decided to abruptly change the subject.

"Umm…If you are leaving the Cloud Village, you should take that road over there." The girl pointed to a small dirt road that disappeared into the trees. "That will get you to the Sand Village or the Leaf Village…"

"The Sand Village?" Kaliana interrupted, ignoring everything the dark-haired stranger just said. She pulled her gaze towards the ground. "That's where I was…In the Toxic Swamp in the Sand Village…and now, I'm here…but I don't remember coming here…" Kaliana's eyes reverted back to the black-haired girl. She furrowed her brows with a sudden anger that swept over her.

The girl gasped, knowing now that something was very wrong. "Uh oh…" Her voice became shaky.

Kaliana lashed out and grabbed the girl roughly by the throat. "Where did you get that uniform? And how do you know my name? Do you work for those scumbags who kidnapped me? What's going on here? **ANSWER ME!**"

The girl wriggled under her grip, gasping for air. "I…I don't know anything! Honest! I'm…just a student at the…Kunoichi Academy…"

"There IS no Kunoichi Academy! Who do you work for? Who hired you?" Kaliana shook her with each question.

"I'm nobody!" The girl squealed. "The Kunoichi Academy is a real school!…I…I mistook you for another Kaliana who attended with me! That's all! Please…I can't…breathe…" The girl was on the brink of losing consciousness.

Kaliana loosened her grip, allowing the girl to fall to her knees, choking. "So, you're telling me that you mistook me for ANOTHER Kaliana with long, silver hair…riiiiiggghhhhtttt…for some reason, I don't believe you."

"Well, it's true!" The girl whimpered. "I don't know you or anything about you! Whatever problems you seem to have…" She stopped to take another gasp of air. "…They have nothing to do with me!"

Kaliana nodded, keeping a suspicious eye on the girl. "Mm hmm…" She got down on one knee and stared the girl directly in the face, one eyebrow ascended. "I think you're bullshitting me."

"Well…I-I'm not, okay?" The girl looked around worriedly, making certain they weren't being watched.

"Blah, blah, blah…you're damn lucky that my insatiable drive to go home is outweighing my urge to beat some answers out of you."

The other girl shifted her eyes uncomfortably, rubbing the back of her neck.

_She's not supposed to remember being kidnapped…Or being in the Swamp! What's going on here? _

"BUT!" Kaliana's sudden shout caused the girl to jump and bring her attention back to her. "If I DO find out you have something to do with this, I will come back, and you'll find yourself on the ass-end of an ass-kicking. Do we have an understanding?"

"Uh-huh…" The girl nodded nervously.

"Super." That said and done with, Kaliana turned sharply, gathered what seemed to be her belongings, then turned back to the girl. "This road lead to Konoha?" She asked.

"No." The girl lied.

"What the hell do you mean, 'no'? It's the main road, it has to lead to Konoha."

"Well it doesn't. It leads to the Soun…I mean, the Waterfall Village." The girl pointed down a narrow dirt trail that winded into the forest. "Take that road to Konoha."

Kaliana eyed the girl suspiciously again. She pointed at her threateningly as she started backwards down the winding trail. "Remember…if I find out you're involved, I'll mess you up. No joke."

"Yeah, I know…." She answered, rubbing the soreness out of her neck. _Hopefully, I'll be long dead before then… _She thought to herself.

"Whatever…" That said, Kaliana finally walked out of sight…but not out of mind.

The girl shook her head in disbelief. _This REALLY isn't right! I thought…her memory…It's supposed to be sealed! Did they change the plan or something? How come I wasn't informed of this? I should've been told about this!_

A sudden burst of white smoke appeared, causing the girl to leap to her feet and rapidly dust herself off. As it cleared, a boy with glasses and his long, white hair in a ponytail stood tall.

"Did I miss anything?" He asked, pushing his glasses up with his index finger.

The girl looked at the boy suspiciously.

_He seems calm…maybe something __did__ go wrong that he's unaware of…_

She stayed silent for a moment, then shook her head. "She was just sent down the designated road, just as planned, Kabuto."

Kabuto titled his head curiously. "Is there something wrong?" He asked, picking up on her indecisive answer.

"No." She lied.

"Are you sure?" He stepped closer, hoping to intimidate her. He took her face in his hands and tilted her head to the side, eyeing the red marks in her neck. "Ooh, what happened here?"

She swatted his arm away. "Look, I did my job!" The girl growled, tears beginning to form. "Now go do yours!"

She turned to leave, but Kabuto snatched her roughly by the shoulders and whipped her about to face him.

"Don't forget who you work for, **you ungrateful orphan!**" He hissed. "If it weren't for HIM, you'd still be in the Sand Village begging for coins and pick-pocketing! Show some respect, understand…_Kaliana_?"

She shuddered at the name. She hated being called that. "Yes Kabuto." She whimpered. "I understand." She answered with great agitation through her grinding teeth. "I am grateful…really…"

"Good." Kabuto released her.

Upon being released from the horrid grip, the frightened girl turned to walk away. She stopped and looked at Kabuto, eyes puffy with tears "Hey, Kabuto. Now that this whole thing is just about over, are you going to kill me? Has my usefulness not ended?"

"I'll kill you later." Kabuto grinned. "For now, you just continue doing what you're told. Now, leave."

The girl eyed the white-haired young man, a look of disdain on her face. Kabuto, meanwhile, stared down the road that Kaliana had just ventured down. He grinned slyly.

"See you in Konoha, my sweet, sexy thing." In a puff of smoke, Kabuto disappeared.

The black-haired girl stayed for a moment, then grinned to herself and started away.

_Man, whoever was in charge of that Memory Seal Jutsu messed up big time. I wonder how long it will be before Kabuto notices. Hmmm…I don't care anymore. They're going to kill me anyway, so withholding this information doesn't hold much consequence; and if they don't kill me…Kaliana sure will. But, you know…after all they put me through, I just don't care. I'd rather be a beggar child back in the Sand Village then continue with this charade…_

* * *

Naruto walked down the streets of Konoha. He was bored and trying to think up something mischievous to do to get some attention, as it seemed that nobody wanted to train him. Kakashi only wanted to train Sasuke, and Ebisu was a poor excuse for a trainer. His wanderings led him in front of the Post Office, where he spotted Kakashi. Smiling, Naruto entered and walked up to his Sensei.

"Hi, Kakashi Sensei! Whatcha doin'?"

Kakashi shoved a slip of paper into an envelope.

"Making the final payment on a bill I got many years ago. Here, lick this." He shoved the envelope in Naruto's face.

Naruto obliged by licking the glue. He liked the taste of it anyway. Kakashi put the envelope on the desk in front of him, then reached into his pocket to pull out a stamp. A tiny piece of paper slipped out of his pocket and fluttered to the floor. Naruto went to pick it up, but Kakashi whipped around again and requested Naruto lick the stamp as well. He did as he was told and Kakashi mailed the check. The Jounin walked over to one of the mailboxes, opened it, and pulled out a heap of mail. He shoved it all in his pocket, then turned to leave.

"Umm, Kakashi Sensei…" Naruto called.

"Naruto, why are you here instead of training with Ebisu? Do you want to lose to Neji in the Chunin exams?"

"Ah, that closet perv doesn't know much of anything! Besides, I can beat Neji with my eyes closed!"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Typical Naruto. Brimming of self-confidence, but really hasn't a clue." With that, Kakashi disappeared in a burst of white smoke. The sudden blast brought the small paper up again. Naruto snatched it before it hit the ground.

"Oh, yeah, now I remember! Kakashi Sensei! Wait! You dropped something!"

But it was too late. Kakashi was gone. Naruto groaned as he looked at the paper. It was an old picture of a little girl.

_Huh…that's weird. I wonder who she is?_

A sudden bash to the head with a broom brought Naruto's attention to the grouchy manager behind him.

"Mail something or get out, Naruto!" The nasty old man hissed.

Naruto ran from the Post Office holding his sore cranium. He stopped in an alley and looked at the picture again.

"I'd better give this back to Kakashi Sensei. It might be important." He said out loud.

"Who are you talking to, loser?"

Naruto whipped around to see Sasuke.

"Sasuke! Whatdoya think you're doing creepin' up on me like that! You're not even supposed to be out of the hospital yet!"

"Gee, thanks for your concern." Sasuke answered with a snide tone.

Just then, Sakura whipped around the corner, nearly plowing right into Sasuke. She forced herself to stopped short before she bumped him.

"Oh, Sasuke, there you are! I almost lost you!" She panted out. "I don't think you should've left the hospital yet, you're still not well."

Sasuke simply sighed and rolled his eyes. He knew there was no point in trying to explain to the love-starved female or the little knucklehead that he needed all the training time he could get with his Sensei if he were going to be strong enough to defeat Gaara in the Chunin exams. He answered both comments with an annoyed grunt.

"Hi, Sakura!" Naruto greeted with a big smile.

"Oh, it's you, Naruto. What are you doing back here? Shouldn't you be training?" She asked, less pleased to see him.

"I'm looking for Kakashi Sensei. He dropped this." Naruto held out the picture.

His teammates eyed the photo of the young girl.

"Who is she?" Sakura asked.

"Dunno. But she must be important if he keeps this in his pocket. Do you know where he is?"

"I don't know. Sasuke, do you know?"

"Beats me."

Naruto let out another disappointed groan. "Bummer."

"Just give it to him tomorrow, then." Sakura suggested.

"Alright, I guess I'll have to." Naruto sighed.

He turned to leave the alley when he smashed right into Kiba and Akamaru. Kiba growled furiously.

"Watch where you're going, moron!" Kiba snapped.

Naruto brushed himself off, dropping the picture.

"You watch where you're going, you jerk!" He snapped back.

Kiba was ready to reply with a closed fist in Naruto's nose when Akamaru starting barking and sniffing the picture. Kiba knelt down and snatched it.

"What's this, Naruto? Your girlfriend?" He teased.

"That's Kakashi Sensei's photo! Give it back or else!"

Kiba looked hard at the picture. He gasped when realized who it was. "Kaliana…"

"What'd he just say?" Sakura whispered to Sasuke, who seemed uninterested with the whole thing.

"Kaliana? Is that the girl in the picture? Who is she? How do you know her?" Naruto asked eagerly.

"She's…my cousin." Kiba said in a low voice.

"Cousin? Really? Cool! But, how does Kakashi Sensei know her? Did he used to train her or something?" Naruto continued.

"He's her uncle." Kiba informed, becoming a bit irritated.

Sakura gasped; her hand over her mouth. "I didn't know Kakashi Sensei had a niece!"

"That girl is Kakashi's niece?" Sasuke asked, now interested in the conversation. "Weird. He's never mentioned her before."

"Wait, I'm confused! If she's Kakashi Sensei's niece, does that mean you're related to him, too, Kiba?" Naruto begged for more information.

"No, you idiot. Her mother was Kakashi Sensei's sister and her father was my mother's brother."

"Kakashi Sensei never mentioned he had a sister either..." Sakura muttered.

"Probably because she died and he doesn't like to talk about it." Sasuke guessed correctly.

"Meh, I don't get it." Naruto mumbled, confused by the family tree.

Kiba glared at Naruto. "That's because you're stupid." That said, he put the picture in his pocket and started to leave. "I'll take it from here."

"Hey, where're you goin? Give that back!" Naruto shouted as Kiba disappeared behind the corner.

"Let it go, Naruto" Sasuke ordered.

"What'd you say?!" Naruto argued.

"Let him give it to Kakashi Sensei."

Naruto growled, not ready to give in. "But…I'm the one who found it!"

"Listen to him, Naruto. It was already nice of you to pick it up for him, but maybe it's best to just let Kiba take it to him. I mean…the girl is Kiba's cousin…" Sakura added.

Naruto's growl turned into a groan, then a sigh.

"Fine." He finally relented. He smiled to himself, lost in his thoughts.

_Boy, if she's really Kakashi Sensei's niece, I'd sure like to meet her. Wonder what she's like?_

**End of Chapter 1**

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_**CH. 2: From Spark to Flame**_

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Kaliana groaned as she pushed through the branches that had overgrown across the dirt road. She stopped to wipe some sweat from her brow.

"This is the road to Konoha?" She growled. "I knew I shouldn't have listened to that girl. 'I mistook you for another Kaliana who attended the school with me'." She mocked. "Puh-lease! Like my name is that common!" She began making threats and rants under her breath. "I'm gonna get you, you little fungus…I'm gonna go home, then I'm gonna come back and get you…" She turned around and began shouting, even though she was obviously too far away from anyone to hear her. "**CONSIDER YOUR ASS OFFICIALLY KICKED!!!! IT WILL BE KICKED! AND I WILL BE THERE TO DO THE KICKING!**"

As she trudged forward, her foot became caught on a root and she went flying forward, landing hard on her face in the dirt. She picked herself up, spitting leaf litter in all directions. She was infuriated at this point, and threw her arms high in the air.

"**ARGH! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!! I HATE THIS DAMN FOREST!**"

Suddenly, blue flames shot out of her arms; singeing her shirt up to the elbows. The flames swept through the dead trees rapidly, leveling the forest completely. Kaliana stood in the middle of the burn-circle, eyes wide with shock and confusion.

"Did…I just do that?!"

She held up her arms again and focused. Instantly, the blue flames returned, dancing teasingly along her now exposed limbs.

"Whoa…Psychedelic!" She looked around at her charred surrounding and grinned beneath her mask. "Look at that! I can actually see where the road leads!"

The road went on ahead for several hundred feet before forking off into 2 roads. Kaliana, returning her chakra flames to her body, walked over to the fork, where an old wood sign stood cockeyed. It was made up of 2 arrows, each pointing down a path. To the left, the arrow read, "To the Sand Village". The trail was overgrown with thorn bushes, and looked a bit scary, like something from Sleepy Hollow. The second sign pointed down a nicer, more kept trail. It read, "To Konoha". Kaliana immediately took the clear road leading home. She turned and eyed the spooky, winding trail that lead into the darkness.

"That's gotta be it…I had to have come down that trail to get here…but it doesn't even look vaguely familiar…weird…"

Kaliana stared down the vacant trail for a short while, then shrugged and turned away, continuing down the road.

* * *

Kiba pulled the picture out once he was alone. He stared at it for a while. Akamaru sniffed the paper and whimpered.

"See her, Akamaru? That's my cousin, Kaliana. Man, I hated her. Little witch always set me on fire. She got a real kick out of it. Of course it wasn't real fire. It was only a genjutsu. She'd tell me it was a test to get me to see through the illusion, but I always failed. Of course, now I understand she was just trying to help. Now…I miss her." He rubbed his thumb over the half-covered face of the girl in the tiny photo.

Akamaru barked a few times.

"True. She could have found an easier way to teach me rather then scaring me half to death. But, it wouldn't have been as fun for her, now would it?"

Kiba chuckled slightly at the memory. A sudden gust of wind tore the photo out of his hands.

"Ah, crap!"

The breeze carried the picture high, Kiba following beneath it. The wind took it over the fence that surrounded the school. With a groan, he took off to find an entrance.

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Ino, Shikamaru and Choji relaxed against the walls of the ninja academy. Choji dove his hands into a bag of chips and Ino fixed her growing hair while staring into a mirror. Shikamaru was busy messing with the shadow of a beetle, which was confused as to why it was doing the Irish jig around a dead leaf.

"Having fun, Shikamaru?" Ino asked without averting her eyes from the mirror.

"As a matter of fact, yes I am." He answered coldly. "Got a problem with that?"

Ino ignored his rudeness, as she was quite used to it by now, and continued playing with her hair. Shika glanced up when a floating paper caught his eye. He broke the jutsu he was holding over the insect and instead caught the fluttering papers' shadow. He brought it down to earth and looked at it. His eyes went wide with shock and sadness. Ino noticed his expression.

"What's the matter?"

He didn't reply.

"Shikamaru!" She insisted.

He lowered his eyes and closed them tightly, as though he were in pain. Ino set her mirror down.

"Shika?" She asked in a more gentle tone.

Choji looked at his feminine teammate, chips hanging out of his mouth.

"What's with him all of a sudden?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe it's someone he used to know." Ino answered, unaware of how right she was.

Shikamaru looked up to see Kiba, who appeared to be ashamed.

"I…I'm sorry, dude." He apologized quietly. "The wind…it…just pulled it out of my hands…I'm sorry…"

Shikamaru got up and handed the picture to Kiba.

"Whatever." He whispered as he turned and began walking away.

"Where is he going?" Ino wondered. She turned to Kiba, who put the picture in his pocket.

"Yeah, what was that about?" Choji asked, mouthful of chips.

"Nothing." Kiba said. "Forget it." He turned and left, the feeling of guilt heavy on his shoulders.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru's walk turned into a run. After getting far enough away from the Academy, he stopped and leaned against a tree, panting heavily; Kaliana's memory fresh in his head. Hurting inside, he sat down and covered his face.

_You never showed up to practice…You never showed up…ever again._

* * *

Kaliana bedded down near a mile marker that read '10', trying to make herself comfortable. The ground in Fire Country wasn't nearly as soft as the ground back in the Swamp, but she was tired after a hard day of travel. She heaved a heavy sigh and leaned back against the tree.

"Man…I wonder how long it'll take to get home…it's still so far away."

Suddenly, Kaliana could hear a distant voice calling to her.

"_Kaliana…" _The voice was deep and bubbly, almost as if someone were trying to speak underwater.

Kaliana got to her feet and grabbed her pair of ninja swords, which hung with her menagerie of other weapons from the tree branches above her head. She slowly started towards the voice. It was coming from a dark cove of trees. The trees that formed the cove were dying plum trees, no longer bearing fruit, but rather the weight of death on their branches. The cove was pitch black, and appeared to be quite deep. Kaliana snapped her fingers, sparking a small flame at the end of her thumb. The tiny ember illuminated the entire cove. Hanging on the branch of the farthest tree from the cove's entrance was a massive white sword split at the end to form 2 separate blades. The handle was made of gold. 2 large rubies were inlaid on either side of the handle. It was indeed, a beautiful sword. Kaliana stared at it in wonder.

____

"Kaliana…"

The sword repeated, causing her to jump a little. _"Take my handle into your hands, for I belong to you."_

Kaliana obediently reached for the handle, but then withdrew her hand completely.

"Wait a minute…. I think I remember you…"

* * *

**_Flashback…_**

_The Toxic Forest was a dreary place. The canopy was so thick; not one drop of sunlight ever touched down on the slime-covered ground. This place was also very deadly, as nearly every plant that grew there emitted some form of toxin. The air was not good to breathe, and you'd be very lucky to find something edible in such a hideous land. A girl, age 12, sporting a relatively well kept and well-fitted Kunoichi uniform defied the odds as she called this place home. She had found refuge in a deep root-hole made by a tree that no longer stood. The entrance had grown over with moss, filtering out the toxins and making the oxygen in the hole cleaner then that of the air outside. Within the hole was a small spring that fed pure water to the poisonous flora and fauna. Edible plant life grew in the cave as well. The girl had lived in her little sanctuary for 2 years without any human contact. She was very malnourished, pasty and dirty, but still, she had hope that one day she would leave that dreadful place and go home. Little did she know that part of her dream was about to come true._

_The day was breezy; an extremely rare weather occurrence. The girl, although suspicious of the wind that usually never flowed through this forest, took advantage of the cool weather and relaxed on a moss-covered boulder. Suddenly, fog began pouring in from all around her. She pulled her rusty sword close, anticipating the unexpected. A tall, dark figure began to form as it crept from the shrouded mists closer to the young girl, who gripped her sword even tighter._

_"Who are you!?" She demanded, lifting herself from the rock and cocking the sword back._

_As the form got closer, the girl could tell that it was a man. She didn't notice the considerably smaller shadow next to him. Finally, the man came into clear view. He was big; at least 6'4'', he had a very muscular build, and he too, carried a sword with him; A massive weapon that looked like it had to weigh about 200 pounds. Half his face was covered in bandages. The girl slunk back, a bit intimidated by the enormous stature of this bandaged-up stranger._

_"Are you Kaliana?" He asked in a deep, gruff voice._

_"Maybe, maybe not. Who's asking?" She snapped._

_"My name is Zabuza Momochi."_

_"Really? That whole thing is your name? Wow…that sucks…Sorry about that." She said with sincerity._

_The man who called himself Zabuza laughed. "My employer informed me that you were a real mouthful."_

_"Actually, you're name is a mouthful. I just have a big mouth. There's a difference."_

_"He is paying me a generous amount of money to bring you in." Zabuza informed, ignoring the girl's last comment._

_"Bring me in? What are you? Some kind of wrestler turned truancy officer?"_

_"I am the greatest assassin alive." Zabuza hissed._

_It was then that the girl finally noticed the small masked figure standing next to the assassin. She grinned under her mask and chuckled._

_"What's this?" She asked, nodding head towards the child-like person. "You bring your daughter with you on assassinations? That's not very good parenting."_

_"Haku here is my apprentice." Zabuza informed._

_"And, I'm a boy!" The young man called Haku shouted angrily._

_"Ah, yes! And he's a boy!" Zabuza finished, often forgetting himself just what the hell Haku was._

_The girl tossed her head back and laughed loudly. "HA! Yeah right! Dude, I can faster pass myself off as a boy then you!"_

_Haku growled deep in his throat, taking great offence to the cocky young girls' statements. He turned to his master. "Zabuza, let me defeat her for you. I promise, it won't take long."_

_Zabuza gave a single nod. "Of course you may, but be quick about it. We were informed that she's much stronger then she looks."_

_Haku stepped forward and began forming handseals. The girl laughed again and turned to Zabuza._

_"Oh, you must be joking! You're going to make me fight with Mary-Ann?"_

_Zabuza himself couldn't help but snicker at this interesting new nickname for his ward, which only infuriated Haku even more. He increased the speed of his handseals. The girl just stood there, arms crossed. She squinted her eyes when she noticed the symbols on Haku's mask._

_"The Mist Village." She whispered to herself. "Look at all those handseals. Where have I seen that pattern before?" She stopped to recall the big book of Kekei GenKai Techniques her uncle had given her when she was 5. She had studied the handseal pattern of each technique carefully, in case she'd ever come to battle someone with such exclusive power. Finally, she recognized the technique._

_"Crap! I know that Jutsu! Demonic Ice Mirrors! I'm so outta here!" She turned and_ _leapt away into one of the trees, keeping a good grip on her sword._

_Both Zabuza and Haku were surprised with the girls' hasty exit. Zabuza grabbed his sword._

_"Damn, she's getting away! After her!"_

_Haku wasted no time as he leapt into the deep branches after her, making sure she stayed in his view._

_Suddenly, the majority of the canopy branches disappeared as they came into a clearing. Once all obstructions were out of the way, Haku released a menagerie of knives and shuriken at his opponent._

_"I knew I should've just stayed in the hole today!" She whined to herself as she dodged the weapons._

_One of the shuriken grazed her arm, causing her to drop her sword in the grass. She couldn't turn and retrieve it, as Haku was steal breathing hard down her back, sending more and more weapons her way._

_She fought hard to keep herself just ahead of the knives and shuriken being thrown at her by the young boy in the mask, so she was quite shocked when Zabuza appeared in front of her as well. He swung his sword at her with incredible force as she drew nearer to him in an attempt to evade the knives. She dropped to her knees and leaned back, the sword's blade nearly scraping off the tip of her nose. She took this opportunity to throw her closed fist right into his groin. In a split second, she whirled around and brought her leg up against his chest, causing him to stumble backwards into a tree. His weight alone caused the tree to snap and tumble over. She turned her attention to the boy, who was upon her in an instant, showering blows all over the back of her skull. Recovering quickly, she turned and kicked the boy in his groin. She watched in shock as he slumped over, groaning._

_"Wow…I guess you really are a boy!" She exclaimed. "But you hit like a girl!" She finished by bringing her knee into the boy's nose. He fell over, unconscious. "And you probably pee like one too."_

_The man, who had recovered from his punishment, stood rigid, holding his sword to his side._

_"I'm tired of playing this game." He growled in a deep voice. "It's time to finish this."_

_He held his sword high in the air and attacked. His speed was amazing, and the girl tried vigorously to block the intense blows. With each attack, he came harder and faster, quickly wearing out the bone-thin preteen girl. She could tell he was trying to push her into a corner, making her capture easier. It was obvious that she needed a weapon. Her sword, which was lying in the grass near a tree, was old and rust-covered. The mediocre blade was chipped and lightweight, an old hay sickle fused to it. Certainly her recycled piece of junk was no match for this mans' massive weapon. But logics were something the girl couldn't afford at this moment. Thinking fast, she ducked away from another swing and head-butted her opponent in the gut. It hurt her head more then it hurt his washboard abs, but it provided enough of a distraction for her to slip away and grab her meek weapon. The man laughed heartily._

_"And just what do you think you're going to do with that? Give me lockjaw?"_

_"Keep laughing, you Neanderthal! It ain't the size of the sword, it's how you wield it that counts! I'm surprised you're not familiar with that saying."_

_"What's that supposed to mean?" The mans' humor quickly disappeared._

_"Dude, I just had my hand down there…you ain't got nothing! You're about as endowed as your little girlfriend!" She laughed, looking over to where the boy had fallen. He was no longer there._

_She quickly brought her attention to the man, who stood fuming. He tightened his grip around his sword's handle._

_"I've had just about enough of you!"_

_"I have plenty more where that came from, you Leviathan!" The girl cocked her sword back, ready to strike if necessary. "I know I can't defeat you in battle, but I'll give you one Hell of a headache while I try!"_

_"Give it up, girl…" She heard the young boy's voice._

_She turned to look at him, and quickly found herself surrounded by mirrors. They had finally trapped her. The boy, who had melted himself into the mirrors, lifted his mask and smiled._

_"You don't have a chance." He winked._

_"And YOU don't have a penis!" She shot back at him, swinging her sword at his reflection in one of the mirrors. To the irritated young man's surprise, the mirror cracked._

_What the?…She's not supposed to be able to move, let alone crack one of my mirrors!_

_"Zabuza, hurry!" Haku called._

_Zabuza quickly lifted his sword and struck. A blinding white light that looked a bit like a lightning bolt came speeding towards her. She was trapped; the mirrors held her in place and the blazing white death was getting closer with every second. The girl knew all too well that this had to be the end. Suddenly, her sword; her old, rusty sword; pulsated. The girl looked down at the weapon she held in her hands. It glowed, shuddered, and pulsated some more. It began to levitate into the air. The girl tried desperately to let go, but it felt as though her right hand was literally attached to the sword. She looked back at the light and closed her eyes tightly, awaiting the inevitable. Her eyes popped open as an even greater source of light permeated through her lids. It was her sword. It seemed to be transforming; it seemed…alive. In an instant, the rust melted away, revealing a massive, white blade. The sickle, too, seemed to melt into the blade. The tip of the sickle stayed present about 2 feet from the blade's tip; the sword had not one, but 2 points; the distance between the points was large enough to comfortably pin a man by the neck and refrain him from movement, least he struggle and slit his own throat. Large, red rubies were inlaid in the solid gold handle. The girl stared at her weapon in awe as its light source grew brighter. Suddenly, she felt the weapon draining her, sucking up what little chakra she had left. The hand that gripped the sword began to burn, as though the flesh were melting off of it. The mans' attack hit, Kaliana lost consciousness as well as all her chakra. In a white-hot flash of light, the battle ceased…_

**End of Chapter 2**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

_**CH. 3: "Kaliana: Heart Breaker, Fire Maker…Sleep Walker?"**_

-------------------------------------

"I do remember you! Last time I touched you, you sucked all my chakra out. You almost killed me!"

_"It was your chakra force that helped give me life. In exchange for that, I will humbly provided you with more chakra then you will ever need."_

Kaliana leaned forward, interested. "Really? More then I'll ever need?"

_"I absorb chakra from others and feed it to you. Your chakra supply will never cease; it will forever flow, even through the most vigorous of battles. You will never tire before your rivals. I will feed you so much chakra, in fact, that it will have to resonate from your body as fire."_

"Ah, so, you're responsible for my arms combusting." Kaliana said as she reached for the sword. "Hey, you must know who won the battle yesterday…or the other day, right?"

_"Battle?"_

"You know. You and me versus the guy who thinks he's a mummy and the girl who thinks she's a boy? Those 2 walking diaper stains. Remember?"

_"I do."_

"Well, who won?"

_"I cannot say."_

"Why not?" Kaliana questioned, again pulling her hand away from the sword.

"_When you are unconscious, I am as well." _The sword paused._ "I know only what you know about that battle."_

Finally, Kaliana cautiously wrapped her fingers around the swords' handle and gently pulled its leather strap free of the twisted tree branch. She backed out of the dark cove and held the sword out before her. She raised it to the sky.

"You got a name?" She asked the brilliant weapon as it shone brightly in the moonlight.

The sword glowed and trembled, as chakra flames danced around the blades.

__

"I am Hizoku."

* * *

The sun was beginning to set over Konoha. Kiba, finally arriving at his destination, stopped at Kakashi's door and knocked gently. The Sensei answered, rather surprised at this rare visitor.

"Kiba. It's been a long time since I saw you standing at my door. What is it?"

Kiba thrust his arm forward, keeping his head down. Kakashi noticed the slip of paper in his hands. He took it and looked at it, nearly losing his breath. He quickly regained himself and cleared his throat.

"Where did you find this?"

"I didn't. Naruto did. I offered to bring it to you."

Kakashi nodded and sighed. "Thank you. Tell Naruto I said I really appreciate it."

Kiba turned without saying a word. He stopped before Kakashi had shut the door all the way.

"Kakashi Sensei."

Kakashi opened the door a bit and peeked out. "Yeah?"

"Where…" Kiba stopped momentarily to lick his dry lips. "Where do you think she is now?"

"The Kunoichi Academy, of course. Why?"

"I dunno. It just feels like…nevermind."

Kiba left without another word. Kakashi looked back down at the picture and rubbed the face of the little girl with his thumb.

_My sweet Kaliana. _He thought to himself before slipping the photo into his vest pocket.

Kakashi returned to the house. It was a messy, unkept place. He was never home to clean, and when he was home on occasion, it was merely to sleep. His desk-area was a complete sty; papers, files and junk mail piled up to the ceilings. He had boxes stacked up along the walls full of old items that belonged to his sister and a particular old box in the corner that held the secret belongings of his brother-in-law. Cobwebs hung from the light fixtures and everything was covered in dust. If one didn't know better, you'd think the place was abandoned. But, Kakashi called the dreary place home, or at the very least, a place to sleep at night. He walked over to the desk and pulled out the bundle of mail from his pants pocket. He proceeded to flip through the stack and separate everything.

"Let's see now…junkmail, bill, bill, junkmail, porn, porn, porn, bill, porn, bill, porn, bill for porn…" He came across an envelope sealed with the Kunoichi Academy crest. "Uh oh." He mumbled. "What did she do this time?" He ripped open the envelope and proceeded to read it to himself.

Dear Mr. Hatake:

The Kunoichi Academy in the Village Hidden in the Clouds is releasing their top Honor Roll students for a 2 week vacation, at which time, students will be allowed to visit with family, friends or otherwise for the time of 14 days. We are pleased to tell you that your niece, Kaliana Inuzuka, is one of our Honorees and will be…

Kakashi ceased reading the letter. He folded it and put it back in the envelope.

"Another vacation…" He sighed as he opened one of the desk drawers and placed the envelope inside with all the other Kunoichi Academy bills, report cards, vacation slips and other related letters from the school.

He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out Kaliana's picture again. He remembered calling the school every weekend that first year at the Academy; but she always refused to talk to him. He wrote letters every week, yet all of them went unanswered…

* * *

**_Flashback  
_**

_Kakashi dialed the phone anxiously. He hadn't spoken to his niece since she had left for the school, as every time he called, she wasn't available. It was 2 days before her 8th birthday, and he had planned on making a party and bringing Kaliana home for the weekend to visit. His heart jumped excitedly as the office assistant answered the phone._

_"Cloud Village Kunoichi Academy. May I help you?"_

_"Yes, this is Kakashi Hatake. I'd like to speak to my niece, Kaliana Inuzuka, please. She's a student there."_

_As though fate had a hand in the deception that was about to take place, a girl entered the office. "Oh, you're lucky, Mr. Hatake, she's just walked in! Kaliana, your uncle would like to speak with you." The receptionists' voice became distant as she spoke away from the receiver._

_"What? Him again? When will he get the hint? Tell him to leave me alone and stop calling here!** He's NOT my uncle!**" An irate and bitter voice shouted. "In fact…"_

_He could clearly hear the sound of footsteps approach the phone, followed by a loud click, and ending with a long dial tone. Kakashi didn't make a sound. It felt as though someone had poured battery acid on his heart before ripping it from his chest_. _He slowly returned the phone to its cradle. Hurt and distraught, he fought hard to choke back his emotions…_

* * *

A solitary teardrop fell from the elite Jounin's eye. After that dreadful day, he vowed to never call or write again.

_You meant everything to me, Kaliana. _He thought bitterly to himself._ How could you be so cruel and ungrateful?_

* * *

**The Next Day**

Kaliana found herself sprawled across the ground on her stomach in a patch of grass. She moaned as she rolled herself over to face the sky. She felt weak and worn.

"Wh-wha-what happened?" She stammered wearily. "Where are we? Hizoku?"

The sword, which lay about 5 feet from her glowed as it awoke from it's own slumber.

__

"Is there something wrong?"

"I dunno yet…" She muttered as she weakly pulled herself to her feet. "I thought you were supposed to give me chakra when I needed it…"

_"I didn't know you needed any. Here, enjoy."_

As the mystical sword gently infused Kaliana's body with the much needed chakra, she could feel her strength immediately return; it was a pleasure. She sat up and looked around, confused and a little light-headed. Her weapons were spewed in every direction. Slowly, she got to her feet and flung the heavy sword on her back. She scratched her head, her eyes wandering to another mile marker that read '254'.

Her jaw dropped. "Two-hundred and fifty four?! How the hell did we end up here?!"

_"Perhaps you were sleep-walking…"_

"I sleep-walked 200 miles? No wonder I was so drained!! Why don't you remember us doing it?"

_"You were sleeping…Therefore, I was asleep as well."_

"Who the hell walks 200 miles in their damn sleep? I'm a freak of some kind…I have to be…" Kaliana murmured to herself like a crazy person as she went about gathering her weapons. "There's something fishy going on here…first, I wake up in the Cloud Village, now, I wake up 200 miles from where I fell asleep…Hizoku, you think I'm some sort of weird medical anomaly?"

"_Also possible. I do wish I could put your mind at ease, but I'm just as confused as you are…" _The sword sympathized.

Once her weapons were gathered and safely in place, Kaliana stood rigidly, her eyes to the ground. "Don't sweat it." She groaned in an uncertain tone. "We'll figure this out when we get home, I'm sure we will…"

She looked around before continuing down the trail. Within moments, she found herself on a main road. A large sign pointed left and read: Konoha- 14 miles. She looked back down the winding trail she'd just come from and shrugged.

"Well, freakiness aside, at least we're almost home."

* * *

A few miles down the road, she noticed a small shop. "Ooh, I wonder if they sell clothes…I can't stand this outfit...I can't breathe and I think my ass is getting a tan."

She walked up to the front of the shop and gazed at the items. The first thing she noticed was a huge pair of green, cargo pants. Grabbing them, she approached the shopkeeper, who had his back towards her.

"Hey!" She snapped.

The shop owner jumped and turned to see a girl with knee-length silver hair. She wore what appeared to be an uncomfortably tight uniform of some sort; a magenta jacket with a short blue skirt. A blue mask covered half her face, leaving only her droopy, green eyes gazing out with uncertain curiosity. Dozens of weapons hung from leather straps on her body. One of them; a huge dual bladed sword. She wore only one black glove on her right hand. He also noticed a necklace lined with sharp teeth. In the center, an eerie green eye dangled. It almost seemed alive.

"I'm sorry, miss. I didn't hear you come up behind me." He managed to cough out.

"My bad. What do you want for these pants?" She asked, holding up the huge, green, baggy pants.

"Well now…how about a trade for that nice jacket?"

"Alright! Good deal." She nodded. She held the pants up to herself, then looked back at the shopkeeper. "Take in the waist a bit and you can have the skirt, too."

"Wonderful! I'll even throw in a magnetic belt for you to keep your shuriken." The keeper said, knowing from her adornments that she had to be a ninja. "Come back here and we'll fix you right up!"

"Cool." She agreed.

* * *

Kaliana stood on a stool, arms spread, while the shopkeeper's wife measured her waist. Her weapons lay up against a wall. She wore a pair of spandex short that came down to just inches above her knees, and a spandex shirt, the sleeves down to the elbows; singed at the ends. Both garments were black, but shone blue in the sunlight. The form-fitting outfit wasn't nearly as constricting as that jacket and skirt, which Kaliana was glad to be rid of. The room itself was cluttered with boxes and a chest of old antiques. Vintage toys hung from the ceiling, most of them being puppets. Many old objects leaned against the walls, while others were hung on the walls. Kaliana couldn't help but feel a bit nervous being in a place surrounded by breakables.

"So," The shopkeeper's wife started in a friendly tone. "At which Academy did you get this uniform, my dear?"

"Uh, the Cloud Village Kunoichi Academy." Kaliana answered, bobbing her head in rhythm with music only she seemed to hear.

"Really?" She replied in surprise. "That's a good school."

Kaliana snapped her head down suddenly at the woman's statement. "It is?"

"I have a daughter who attends The Kunoichi Academy in the Cloud Village..." The woman continued. "Maybe you know her? Blonde, pretty…her name is…"

"So…it's a real school then?" Kaliana interrupted, making absolute sure she heard correct

The woman looked up at her questionably. "Huh?"

"Umm…I mean…uh…it's a real…good school...then?" Kali tried quickly to save herself, sensing the woman's suspicions.

"Well, that's what I just said, dear!" The woman laughed.

"Yeah…I, uh…I'm sorry…my mind is just…all over the place right now…I've got a lot of stuff going on…"

"Aw, what a shame…so stressed for someone so young. How old are you anyway?" The woman asked, quickly dismissing her negative thoughts about this poor, confused shinobi.

"12." The girl answered solemnly.

"Really?" The woman seemed surprised. "Gosh, you're much younger then I thought you were! Your body is quite mature for a 12-year-old, if you don't mind me saying."

Kaliana glanced down at her vivacious curves and shrugged. "Huh...ya know, I didn't notice."

The keeper's wife eyed the strange girl, who seemed to be confused by everything around her. "I'll have these fixed up for you in no time."

The woman gave a respectful bow before disappearing behind a curtain, but her words echoed through Kaliana's head.

"What did she mean by 'my body is mature for a 12-year-old?'"

Kaliana glanced over shoulder and saw a full-length antique mirror covered with a blanket. She hopped off the stool she'd been standing on and lifted the veil from the mirror. Upon first sight of her reflection, Kaliana shouted in shock and leapt back. She hid behind a vintage portrait of a man holding a strange-shaped sword and sitting with a big black and white dog. After a moment or so, she peered cautiously at her reflection once more, aware that the person looking back was in fact herself. She slowly stood up straight and walked towards the mirror, eyes wide. Back in the Toxic Swamp, she was nothing but skin and bones; the lack of food in the Swamp had completely ravaged her. Because she was only 12, her breasts were nothing but mere budding lumps. Due to being malnourished, her ribs, hipbones and pelvic bones grossly protruded. But now…

"These weren't here before!" Kaliana said aloud, gripping her breasts and peering down her shirt.

Her hands slowly traveled down her tapering waist. Again, she seemed shocked to find that her stomach, once sunken in and hollow, was now ripped with muscles. She lifted her shirt and rubbed the rippling abs.

"Neither was that!"

Slowly, she reached behind and grabbed her buttocks firmly, eyes wider then ever.

"Whoa…where'd THAT come from?! Hizoku! HIZOKU!!"

She quickly ran over to the sword, nearly tripping over several priceless objects along the way. She gripped the handle and dragged it over to the mirror.

"Hizoku, can you tell me how old I am?"

__

"I thought you were 12. Is that not correct?"

"I…I don't know how old I am anymore! Can't you decipher my age or something?"

_"Of course."_

Kaliana could feel the sword's chakra flow through her body slowly, as though it was scanning her insides. She could even feel chakra in her teeth.

"_That's peculiar…"_ The sword replied.

"What?" Kaliana asked curiously.

_"You are 15-years-old."_

"**Fifteen!? FIFTEEN!? Are you serious?! WHAT THE HELL DID I DO?? SLEEP THROUGH PUBERTY???? ****ARGH!**** I knew something was weird when I woke up in the Cloud Village, of all places!!! I mean, how did I get out of the Swamp!? Ooh, if I weren't so far away, I'd go back to the Cloud Village and beat some answers out of that girl! I ****know**** she knows something about this!"**

_"I do not know what girl you speak of, but if I may interject, I believe the other two you spoke of…the ones who battled us…may have been able to capture us after I drained you of your chakra. We both lost consciousness, making our capture very easy."_ The sword guessed, not knowing just how correct it was.

"Okay, so they caught us…But where did the 3 years go?" Kaliana repeated, getting a bit aggravated.

____

"Lost."

Hizoku answered simply.

"But…" Kaliana was cut short when the woman appeared, holding up the pants.

"Here you are, my dear! These should fit you nicely."

"Oh…thanks." Kaliana said, a bit of agitation in her voice.

"I'll leave you to try them on." The woman left the room again.

Kaliana looked down at the pants and sighed as she slowly pulled them on, one leg at a time. She stepped in front of the mirror again. The baggy pants hung low on her waist and were still a little big, but it didn't bother her at the moment. Her mind was racing with questions and theories. She suddenly thought of her uncle. Worriedly, she turned to Hizoku.

"Uncle Kakashi…he must be so worried about me…according to that lady, the school _is_ real. So, if it does exist, and Uncle Kakashi went to call or visit…he must've been broken-hearted when he seen I wasn't there. Poor guy, I have to tell him what happened to me…and then when I'm finished, I'm going back to the Cloud Village to strangle that girl with her own pigtails!" She began to get angry, her chakra levels rising.

_"That's enough, Kaliana."_ Hizoku snapped. _"You'll talk with your uncle when you return home, and he will be very pleased to see you. You can explain everything to him. But until then, cool your jets."_

Kaliana nodded, surprised that Hizoku would bark at her like that. "Okay, okay…I'm calm. I'll try looking on the bright side…at least I get to go home…" She smiled beneath her mask. "I never thought I'd see any of my friends and family again…and I have this cool new chakra fire to show off!"

_"That's right" The sword chimed in, happy to see its master cheerful again. __"Just don't do it in here…"_

Kaliana excitedly swung Hizoku on her back. She gathered the rest of her weapons and hung them all over her body. Her kunai knives, among other things, were placed in the many pockets adorning the pants. She turned to her sword.

"We're going home, Hizoku. When we get there, we'll figure everything out."

_"I trust in you." The sword obliged._

Not being able to control her excitement any long, Kaliana began throwing punches and high kicks in the air to invisible adversaries.

"_**Yeah, Konoha! Kaliana's back, she's stacked and ready to kick some a-…**_" Her victorious speech was short lived as her left leg became entangled in some marionette puppet strings. A short struggle freed her leg, but threw her off balance. She fell backwards, crashing into boxes of fragile, priceless antiques, sending the heirlooms scattering in every direction. The sound of crushing glass and clanging metal seemed to perk her enthusiasm about the whole ordeal.

"Oh yeah." She said in a low, but confident voice. "I'm gonna rock that town."

* * *

**End of Chapter 3…End of ACT I**


	2. ACT II Demolition Ninja

The site won't allow all of Hizoku's dialogue to be in its usual _underline/italic_ font for whatever reason, causing some of it to appear in only _italics_. Sorry for the confusion or inconvenience.

_**----------------------------------------------------------**_

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction**_

**_ACT II: Demolition Ninja _**

**_CH. 4: "Fly, Little Hound! Fly!"_**

Kaliana walked along the road, kicking up pebbles as she went along. She let out a heavy sigh. She had been thrown out of the antique shop for breaking thousands of ryos worth of antiques; many of them were priceless. She considered herself lucky the man didn't take the clothes back. She couldn't help her destructive nature, and even at the age of 15, she displayed her usual accidental demolishing habit. She groaned, her face in her left hand.

"Man, this is taking forever! Maybe I should go to sleep again…I seem to travel faster that way."

"_If you'd like to travel quicker, we can always fly." _Hizoku suggested.

Kaliana laughed and shook her head. "Good one, Hizoku. But not even the best ninja can fly."

"_But I do not belong to the best ninja; I belong to you."_

Kaliana stopped and turned to Hizoku. "You're telling me you can make me fly? Seriously?" She asked, ignoring the sword's insult.

"_I can. Unless, of course, you're afraid."_

Kaliana growled at the inclination of _her_ being afraid. "Okay, smartass. Just how do we commence flight?" She asked, only half-believing the swords' story about flying.

_"Begin by focusing my chakra flow into your legs. You must run while this happens, to give yourself a decent start. You might want to pull up your pants for this one, unless you want to burn them off."_

Kaliana shrugged and folded the pants up to her knees. She started off at a jog. Her speed increased periodically as she focused hard to get all extra chakra into her legs, which caused the flames to once again dance from her skin. She felt her legs moving at speeds she'd never known. Surprised, she turned to the sword.

"Okay, I'm running fast! Now what?"

_"Alright, pay attention. This part is very important. I want you to leap high into the air. It is imperative that once your feet leave the ground, you immediately expel the chakra in your legs through your feet. The blast will give you the proper lift. I will take it from there."_

"Okay, one question before we take off, though. What will happen if I DON'T immediately expel my chakra through my feet?"

_"Your legs may explode from the excess chakra flow."_

"Oh, good! Just checking!" Kaliana spat out sarcastically. She took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing!"

With that, Kaliana leapt high into the air. The moment she no longer felt the ground under her feet, she unleashed all the excess chakra flow in a blast of blue flames; it was a good thing she wasn't wearing shoes. Kaliana stared down, unbelievingly at the earth below as she launched like a rocket into the heavens. Suddenly, Hizoku erected a massive, round chakra barrier around itself and Kaliana, causing them to levitate in the sky.

"_Now simply focus on which way you want to go. You can increase or decrease your speed merely by thinking about it."_ Hizoku informed.

"Okay…let's see what this baby can do!"

Within seconds, they began to move forward, at first, slowly, but as she became accustomed to controlling their speed with her mind, they began moving faster.

"Hey, I'm doing it! I'm flying the giant bubble! Sweet!" She held her arms out wide and looked down at all the small houses and lovely fields they were passing below. "Hizoku, this rules!"

"_Let's knock it up a notch…"_ The sword encouraged.

"Hell yeah!" Kaliana cheered as she focused once again on their speed, sending the chakra bubble careening through the sky.

Kaliana watched in awe as they shot past a flock of birds, which seemed rather surprised to see such an interesting sight. She laughed and hooted wildly, enjoying every moment of her unique skyway journey. After a quick 12-mile flight, the outskirts of Konoha Village came into view.

"There it is! Home, sweet, home!" Kaliana pointed out.

"_Would you like to stop here?"_ Hizoku asked.

"Yes please!"

Kaliana was expecting to receive some detailed instructions on how to stop without any part of her body exploding, but none were given. Instead, Hizoku spontaneously and without warning dropped the chakra barrier, which, in retrospect, was the only thing keeping them airborne. Kaliana's screams carried as she went plummeting hundreds of feet back to earth.

* * *

At a nearby building site cluttered with equipment, buckets and shelves of materials, Neji and TenTen busied themselves picking up trash, waiting for their Sensei to return for a training session. TenTen stopped to examine her reflection in one of the buckets of water.

"What a dirty job." She sighed, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Where is Gai Sensei?"

"Will you please stop complaining?" Neji scoffed. "You know he went to check up on Lee. He'll be back soon."

TenTen sighed again and stabbed a piece of trash with the sharp stick and tossed it in a bucket on a large plank of wood where all the other trash was.

"I bet the Great Tsunade didn't have to go through all of this to become the talented Sanin she is today." She groaned to herself.

"The faster we get this work done, the faster we get to train…" Neji suddenly stopped and lifted his head, his silver eyes focused forward as he listened intently. "Did you hear that?"

TenTen ceased her work and listened for a moment, but all she heard was the sound of chirping birds.

"I don't hear anything." She answered with a shrug.

Neji listened harder. It sounded like someone was screaming, and it was getting closer. In a flash, a girl came crashing through the treetops, her body cracking loudly as she smashed through each branch. She landed hard on the plank of wood that held the trash bucket. The bucket went flying as the other end of the plank whacked her in the back of the head. Meanwhile, the garbage can landed neatly over TenTen's head, spilling the stinking trash all down her body.

Kaliana sat up moaning and rubbing the back of her lumpy skull.

"I'm alright…" She groaned. "The ground broke my fall…"

TenTen, steaming mad, pulled the garbage bucket off her head. Neji snickered under his breath quietly. Furious, TenTen took out 3 of her kunai knives and whipped them straight at the confused stranger. Kaliana, thinking fast, leapt into the air and landed on the side of the wood that smacked her head, bringing up the other end of the plank. And just in time, too, for the kunai knives dug deeply into the wood, the sharp tips inches away from Kaliana's face. She peeked out from behind the 4x4.

"Whoa! Watch where you throw those things! You almost hit me!" She shouted.

"I'll make sure I hit you this time!" TenTen threatened before lunging at Kaliana, who simply stood there, not knowing whether to run or defend herself from this crazy chick.

A sudden burst of white smoke appeared before the charging shinobi. A turtle came into view when the smoke cleared.

"Is there a problem, TenTen?" The big turtle asked.

TenTen stopped in her tracks. "Um, that girl! She…she…"

"I didn't think so." The turtle cut her off. "Return to your work, now!"

With a groan, the girl obeyed. Kaliana turned towards Hizoku, rubbing her sore head.

"You hear the turtle talking too, right?"

"_Of course I do."_ Hizoku responded.

"Good. I was afraid it was the head trauma."

The turtle turned to Kaliana slowly. Another burst of smoke appeared, leaving Gai Sensei standing on the back of the massive amphibious reptile.

"Long time, no see, Kaliana." He said with a smirk. "Welcome back."

"Gai!" Kaliana exclaimed joyously. "The first familiar face I've seen in a very long time! It sure is great to see you, Gai! Man, do I have a story to tell you! But first, how is everything?"

Gai laughed and rubbed Kaliana's head. "I see you're still not into the whole 'Sensei' thing, are you?"

"You know you're a sensei. You don't need me to remind you."

Gai laughed again and rubbed Kaliana's scalp harder, causing her to cringe. "That's the independent young lady we know and love! Me, I'm doing fine; no complaints. What about you? Fresh from one of the best Academies in the world! I bet you pack one hell of a punch! You've got to let me see you battle sometime!"

"That could be arranged." TenTen growled from behind, clenching her fists.

"Fresh…from the Academy?" Kaliana asked, eyes darting around suspiciously_. Why does Gai think I went to the Academy? The school DID inform my uncle that I never went…right? _"You wouldn't happen to know where my Uncle Kakashi is would you?" She asked, abruptly changing the subject.

Both 2nd year Genins ceased their work and snapped up their heads at the question.

"Did she just say 'Uncle Kakashi'?" TenTen asked in awe.

"That's what I heard." Neji replied, just as surprised as his teammate.

"No, I don't know where Kakashi is." Gai answered. "He's probably at the hospital with one of his students."

"He's got students, now?" The news caused her to lose focus on her own matters. "Since when is he a Sensei?" The last time she recalled, he was an ANBU Blackops Agent.

"We'll, let's just say he became one quite recently." Gai answered. "He finally found the right team with the right stuff."

"You mean a team smart enough to pass one of his ridiculous half-baked tests?" Kaliana recalled her uncle trying to get her to pass a silly test regarding a pair of silver bells when she first joined the ninja academy. She never managed to wrestle them from him.

Gai laughed and put his hand on Kali's shoulder. "Yeah, as much as I hate to admit it, his team really is remarkable. They work well together when the time calls for it, and they have some pretty amazing power. Especially that Naruto kid."

"Well, they _must_ be remarkable if he's so easily impressed by them." Kaliana muttered bitterly. _…Seeing as how nothing I ever did impressed him._

Gai's eyes wandered to the weapons Kaliana carried on her back. He found great interest in her massive sword. "Nice sword! Where'd you get it?"

Kaliana gasped a little, forgetting completely that Hizoku was there, and that eventually someone would question it.

"Umm…it's a prize…from a Cracker Jack…box?" She stammered out randomly, completely taken off guard.

"What?" Gai laughed. "Get outta here! Seriously, where'd you get it?"

Kaliana was at a loss for words. What should she tell him? She felt a tiny electrical shock in her back; it didn't hurt, but it got her attention. It was Hizoku.

"_He thinks you went to the school. Tell him the Academy issued out weapons."_ Hizoku instructed.

"They issued out weapons at the school!" Kaliana shouted, as though she was unable to control the volume of her voice.

"_Of the many items there, you chose me because of your long-time fascination with swords."_ Hizoku finished.

"You know, there was just so many weapons to choose from, but I picked this sword out because I've always been a freak for swords!" She ended with a fake smile that no one could see anyway.

Gai eyed the sword suspiciously. "Is it supposed to be glowing and humming like that?"

"_This guy asks a lot of questions…" _Hizoku hissed irritably.

Kaliana laughed nervously. "Uh…it's, well…it's made out of…umm…a special kind of metal. Yes, a special metal with…uh, a…humming and glowing…impurity. It's very science-y and, uh…difficult to explain to the…lay-person." She cleared her throat and folded her arms, pleased and convinced by her own crack-pot explanation.

_"…Wow. Did you come up with that one all by yourself?"_

"Shut up, Hizoku…" She muttered quietly from the side of her mouth.

Neji and TenTen exchanged confused glances with their Sensei. Gai nodded, rubbing his head.

"Oh…um, okay then…" He managed to cough out. _That's weird…why won't she tell me where she got that sword?_

Kaliana's eyes wandered nervously towards Gai's students, though her mind wasn't on them.

_Well, I thought it sounded plausible… _She said in her mind.

"_You sounded like a blathering mental patient." _Hizoku answered snidely.

Kaliana's eyes widened. _Are you…listening to my thoughts? _

_"Why? Does it creep you out?"_

_Yes, it does! Knock it off!_

"That's Neji and TenTen." Gai introduced. "They're my students, and they're just as good as Kakashi's team."

Kaliana snapped her head up from its not-so-private thoughts and looked confusingly at Gai. "Say what now?"

"I said that's Neji and TenTen." Gai pointed. "They're my students."

Kaliana looked into Neji's silvery eyes and waved her hand in front of them. He didn't flinch, his curious stare locked on her. TenTen snickered, knowing exactly what the girl was thinking.

"Cool…You got a blind kid in your group?" Kaliana finally asked.

Neji furrowed his brows and growled at the insinuation. Gai sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Kaliana…he's not blind…he's from the Hyuga clan."

Kali's face turned a bright crimson red. "Ah. Makes sense…" She stopped to clear her throat. "It's very nice to meet you. You're the first hot guy I've met in a really long time."

TenTen gasped, nearly choking upon hearing Kaliana's words. She growled ferociously to herself. _Why that no good, dirty, rotten, little…_

Neji, too, was surprised by the spontaneous and flirtatious comment. He blushed a little and managed to cough out a response. "Well…that was…a bit straight forward…"

"Hey, I calls 'em like I sees 'em." Kali shrugged. Her eyes wandered to TenTen, whose festering rage was very apparent. "_And, I can see someone over there who's extremely jealous…_" She sang.

TenTen's eyes widened and her face burned with embarrassment.

"Don't worry! I haven't decided on anything yet!" Kaliana laughed. She looked at Neji and grinned. "I'll keep you in mind, but I'm not choosing anything until I look them ALL over."

Face aflame, Neji retreated feeling very objectified.

Kaliana chuckled. "I'm just yanking you're chain, sweetheart. You couldn't handle the ride." She searched for a 3rd person, but found none. "Why are there only two of you? Aren't there supposed to be 3 to a squad?"

"Rock Lee." Gai said is a sad voice.

"The kid who used to snitch on me for spying on you? HE made it into your team? It figures!"

"Yeah, he is in my group. But, during the Chunin exams…he…" Gai stopped to wipe his moist eyes. "He got badly injured during the preliminaries. He may never fight again."

"What?!" Kaliana gasped in shock, feeling guilty. "Really? Oh man! That sucks! Where is he now?"

"At the hospital. Why do you ask?"

Kaliana shrugged. "I gotta go anyway to see if my Uncle is there. I'll drop by and give a shout out to Lee while I'm at it."

Gai grinned and nodded. "I'm sure he'd like that very much. He could use some good company."

Kaliana grabbed Gai's hand and shook it. "It was really nice seeing you again, Gai, really it was." She turned to his students. "You, there…" She pointed at TenTen. "Make a move already, because if you don't..." She turned and winked at Neji. "…I will."

Neji smirked and stared suspiciously at TenTen, who looked away nervously, least he see her pink cheeks.

Pleased, Kaliana went to leave, but stopped by a shelf with rows of buckets along it. She noticed a loose screw and pulled an old Phillips-head screwdriver out from her pocket. She drilled the screw back in.

"There we go! Strong as an ox." She said proudly, smacking the shelf.

No sooner did she disappear from view, the entire shelf snapped in half and all the buckets and their contents spilled everywhere. Gai turned to his students.

"Well, then. Finish cleaning up!" With that, he was gone in a burst of white smoke, along with his turtle.

"…She was friendly." Neji said as he looked over at TenTen, who, upon feeling his gaze, dropped to her knees and began to gather the trash.

"C'mon, we've got a lot of work to do." She said quickly.

Neji grinned and slowly began picking up the trash. "So, about that stuff Kaliana said…"

"**LIES!"** TenTen roared. "**LIES AND SLANDER!** Everything that remedial dunce said was a complete load!"

Neji smiled. "That's good. I didn't think there was such a thing as glowing, humming metal, either."

TenTen gasped and snapped her head up, locking eyes with her partner.

"What is it, TenTen?" Neji asked innocently. "Did you think I was talking about something else?"

TenTen looked away again, blushing harder then before. "N-n-n-no…" She stuttered as she shyly fiddled with an empty soda can.

"Good." Neji answered. "Then, I suppose you won't mind me saying that I think Kaliana is really hot."

TenTen's eyes bulged with fury; her hand constricting tightly and crushing the soda can with ease.

"**NOT AT ALL!"** She hissed as she roughly slammed the trash into the bucket. **"WHY THE HELL WOULD I CARE WHAT YOU THINK?!"**

Neji watched his perturbed teammate release her frustrations on the innocent trash-pile. He laughed and shook his head. _Females…_

* * *

**End of Chapter 4**

* * *

**_CH. 5 "Peek-a-boo…Someone's Watchin' You…"_**

---------------------------------------

As they neared the edge of town, Kaliana began to wonder why Gai was under the impression that she'd gone to the school; but a large bathhouse in the distance caught her attention before she could give it much thought.

"Ooh, that looks tempting." She said with a relaxed tone. "My feet are black and my back is killing me. I could use a nice shower and a relaxing bath."

She headed for the first door she spotted; it was propped open with a doorstop. The only other door was all the way on the other side of the building, and both doorways lead to the same place, so, as far as Kaliana was concerned, it didn't really matter which door she used.

The doorway led to a very short hall that expanded into a large room. The room was lined with bathroom stalls on the far wall, and sinks on the other wall. On the far wall where the stalls were lined, was a partition wall; on the other side were the line of showers. At the end of the room was another partition wall, which lead to a small room with 4 full-length mirrors on each wall accompanied by some lockers. That room lead to the private baths. Taking in the first sight of a real bathroom in goodness knows how long, Kaliana let out a big sigh of relief.

"This has to be the most beautiful place on earth." She said dreamily.

She entered one of the bathroom stalls, which were surprisingly roomy and began to unarm and disrobe. She hung Hizoku on the hook of the door.

"You know…" She started as she unarmed herself. "You're really good at lying, for an inanimate object, I mean."

"_I've learned much from humans in my time. Deceit seems to be their main form of communication."_ The sword replied solemnly.

"Ain't that the truth." She agreed, recalling many liars she'd come into contact with in her short life. "Well, anyway, quick thinking on your part. I just hope I can think of something to do with you before I run into my Uncle. Hey, why do you think Gai thinks I went to the school? I mean, he HAS to know that I didn't go to the school, right? Uncle Kakashi would've said something to him…right?" Kaliana stopped upon hearing her own sentence. "Unless…"

She sat on the toilet, grasping her head; the realization of neglect finally hitting her like a ton of bricks.

"Oh, Lord…if he did call the school or write a letter, they'd HAVE to inform him that there is no such person attending the school. If Gai thinks I went there, then…" She lowered her head, knowing very well that tears were about to flow. "Uncle Kakashi…he never checked on me…he didn't call me, didn't write to the school…he didn't even know that I was kidnapped…he just…assumed everything went alright."

"_Assumption is a common human mistake. You mustn't hold it against him."_

"But to assume all is well for 9 years without calling? C'mon, Hizoku! That's…that's just not right. He should've come to visit at least once! He would have seen that I wasn't there. Maybe they could've found me if they knew I was missing. If only he checked! If only…he cared…"

She wiped the tears from her face and pulled her knees up to her face, cradling them with her arms. She rested her face on her knees and closed her eyes.

"You know, when I was little, I used to get into a lot of trouble. I played pranks on people, I never did what I was told by my Sensei's, or Uncle Kakashi for that matter. I was a defiant, bad mannered little brat. I thought that was why he decided to get rid of me; to pawn me off on someone with more time and patience, so he could focus on his missions. But, back in the swamp, I thought that maybe he sent me away to become a better ninja, so he could be proud of me. Now, I'm starting to think that he just sent me away because he really was sick of me. He was so happy to be rid of me that he didn't even bother to check to see if I was alive or dead. I think he knew that no matter what I did, I could never be anything but a trouble-maker." Kaliana lifted her head, her brows furrowed.

She began to disrobe rather roughly, tearing off her short-sleeved shirt and throwing it aside with an angry force. It was a good thing she removed it, for the flames began to appear on her stomach and chest as her anger increased.

"Well, dammit all, I'm going to show HIM what I can do! We're gonna go home and hide you and then, I'm gonna find Uncle Kakashi, show him my slick new powers, and he'll be so impressed…and…and proud that he'll regret ever sending me away! And then, I'll tell him what happened; that if he ever bothered to check on me, he would've saved me a lot of trauma and pain, and he'll feel so awful…"

"_Kaliana, you don't even know what's going on here."_ The sword interrupted. _"Don't you think you should figure out our current mysteries at hand BEFORE you say something to your uncle you might regret?"_

Kaliana stopped and took a deep breath. The sword was right. "Okay, okay." She groaned, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "But I'm not discounting the fact that he never checked up on me."

"_I'm not asking you to. All I ask is that you calm down and learn a little more about our situation before you fly off the handle."_ Hizoku tried to comfort.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say." Kaliana mumbled as she unbuckled her belt. "But, I'm telling you; he doesn't care."

Kaliana was just about to drop her pants when someone entered the bathhouse and attempted to enter the stall she was using.

"Occupado!" She called, slightly annoyed.

"Sorry." A male voice mumbled.

Kaliana lifted her brows at his voice. "This is a coed bathroom?" She whispered to herself. "Weird…"

The boy standing on the outside of the stall was Kankuro. He went into the next stall over, but couldn't shake the thought of the voice sounding very much like a girl. Kaliana gathered her belongings, weapons and clothes alike, and left the stall. She turned the corner, heading for the showers. At the same time, Kankuro exited his stall and walked over to the sinks, where he proceeded to wash his hands. There were mirrors over the sinks, and as Kankuro soaped his hands, he could clearly see the reflection of a girl in a towel rush into the stall she was just in.

"Forgot my shorts." He could hear the voice mumble from inside the stall.

He turned around to face the stalls, his eyes wide with astonishment as he recognized the girl immediately.

"Kaliana, is that you?!" Kankuro questioned in disbelief.

The roar of the showers from the other side of the wall muffled the boys' question. Kaliana opened the stall door and poked her head out.

"Did you just ask me something?" She asked, staring at the boys' painted face.

Upon seeing her face, Kankuro jaw dropped to the ground. "It IS you! Wow, how'd you get out of that Swamp? We figured you were dead!"

Kaliana tilted her head curiously. "Who are you?…Have I kicked your ass before?"

Kankuro laughed. "No, dummy! I'm Kankuro; you know, from the Sand Village?"

"Name's not ringing a bell…but your face looks very familiar…" Kaliana took a few steps towards him, squinting her eyes.

"Boy, your memory is as bad as ever! My sister Temari used to beat the stuffing out of you everyday for 3 years in the Sand Village! You gotta remember!"

Kaliana narrowed her eyes in thought. Suddenly, she perked up, snapping her fingers and at the same time, releasing the towel. "Oh, yeah! Now I remember! Hey, I have some questions to ask you…"

Kankuro averted his eyes and quickly held his hand up in front of his eyes like a shield. "…Well…maybe some other time…you know, when you're wearing clothes?"

Kaliana looked down, face ablaze as she noticed her towel had dropped in a heap on the ground; luckily, her knee-length hair censored her. "Oh, oops…" She quickly snatched the towel up and covered herself.

Kankuro cleared his throat and returned his gaze. "Uh…I'll talk to ya later."

"Yeah…right…see ya." She bid him farewell as she retreated bashfully behind the partition wall into the showers.

Kankuro watched her leave, rubbing his chin curiously.

_How on earth did she make it out of that Swamp…nothing can survive in it! I don't think Baki Sensei knows she's here…we all thought she was dead. I wonder how long she survived there before someone found her? And how many times a week does she work out?…what a body… _

With an indifferent shrug, Kankuro left the bathhouse.  
-----------------------------------------------------

After 15 minutes, Sasuke entered the bathhouse. He claimed a stall, took care of his business, then walked over to the sink. He stood there for a moment to look at himself. Her tilted his head slightly to the side and pulled the collar from his neck. He eyed the curse-mark, brushing his finger against it.

He flinched. "Damn." He murmured, returning the collar before turning on the water to wash his hands. The curse-mark stung whenever he even thought about using any chakra, even with the seal Kakashi had put on it.

He turned off the water and stared into the mirror again. Suddenly, a girl in nothing but a blue mask that covered half her face and a tiny towel scurry by, clothes bundled under her arms. He whipped around quickly as she disappeared behind a wall, closing the privacy-curtain behind her. The wall was a partition to separate the sinks and stalls from the wall-sized mirrors that hung outside the bath-area; the room also had lockers. From the few seconds of seeing her, Sasuke could immediately tell that he'd seen this girl somewhere before.

_That girl…she looked like…no! It couldn't be! Could it?_

He walked quietly to the partition and parted the curtain slightly, peering in. She stood in front of the mirror, brushing her long silver hair, which cascaded down her back. The towel she wore was too small, and came up to the top of her thighs, which glistened from the condensation of the hot steam that formed from the shower she'd just come from. At the top, the towel was tied tightly around her breasts, showing a great deal of generously misted cleavage. Her bangs hung over her emerald green eyes.

She removed her mask, revealing a pair of puffy, pouty pink lips. She shuddered at her own reflection.

"Ugh…I see I still have these circus lips." She mumbled with disdain as dropped the mask in the pile with her other garments. "What a clown."

She then noticed a necklace that fit snug around her neck. It was a black leather strap; hanging from it were 8 sharp, white things that appeared to be teeth. In the center was a green eye. Kaliana leaned into the mirror and squinted. She fondled the jewelry gently. The eye had a black slit down the middle, like a reptile pupil. When the light hit it in certain ways, the green looked wavy, as though it were alive. Even the black slit would expand and retract in the light, like a real pupil. She smiled to herself as she examined the unique piece.

_That is so pretty. Where did I get it, though? I don't remember buying it…or making it. Maybe I found it?_

Putting her thoughts aside, Kaliana shrugged and wrapped her fingers around the top of the towel.

"Alrighty, let's see what this 15-year-old body of mine REALLY looks like…" She suddenly opened the towel and dropped it in a heap on the floor.

Sasuke gasped and quickly retracted his head, knowing that it was very improper for a boy to be looking at a girl when she's naked and not aware of the boys' presence. But once that thought had passed, he slowly leaned over and peered in again. Suddenly, he realized exactly what he'd just discovered.

_No way! It's her…it's Kakashi Sensei's niece! Judging by her age, she's been gone a long time. I wonder if he knows she's come back? I wonder where she…WHOA! GRADE-A ASS!_

Kaliana bent over to grab the towel. As she wrapped it around herself, it was at that moment she spotted Sasuke's reflection in the mirrors as he stood there, peeking in on her intently. She gasped and turned to face him, eyes wide. Sasuke hastily retreated, his face aglow with embarrassment. He leaned his back against the wall for a minute or two before slowly peeking into the room once again. The girl was gone. Curious, he stepped into the room cautiously and looked around. The only other exit was towards the baths. He took a step towards the doorway that led to them, but quickly halted upon seeing her reflection in the mirrors next to him. He froze as the massive blade of a sword zipped into his peripheral vision and rested dreadfully close to his neck.

"Who are you?" She hissed.

Sasuke swallowed hard. "It's okay…I'm just one of your Uncle's students…My name is Sasuke."

Kaliana lowered her weapon a little. "One of my Uncle's students, huh?"

Sasuke nearly stopped breathing when the sword glowed and trembled. He flinched at the heat from the glow. As though reacting to the strange weapon, Kaliana lowered it to the ground completely, causing Sasuke to relax a bit more.

"Alright." Kaliana said calmly as she set the sword on the ground. "We believe you."

Sasuke ascended an eyebrow. _We? Is she talking about the sword…as if it were a person?_

He slowly turned to face her, but her fist collided with his jaw the second it came into view. The force of the punch caused Sasuke to spin twice before tumbling to the ground and banging his head against one of the mirrors.

"**THAT'S FOR SPYING ON ME, YOU LITTLE PERVERT!" **She roared as Sasuke rubbed his sore jaw; quite shaken by the sudden attack. Kaliana knelt down and picked him up by his sweatshirt. She shoved him against one of the mirrors. "Now then, if you see my Uncle today, **DON'T** tell him you saw me. I want to surprise him. Got it?"

That said, Kali turned and disappeared into the steaming room that held the private baths. Sasuke stood there for a moment, his jaw throbbing painfully. After collecting himself, he rushed into the steam room after Kaliana. He spotted her already in one of the tubs and approached her boldly.

Kaliana glared at him from her tub. "You again? I'm trying to take a bath, here! Get lost, loser!"

Sasuke cringed at the name, but spoke anyway. "Look, your Uncle and I are supposed to leave sometime this afternoon to go begin my training for the Chunin Exams." He started. "We won't be back for about 10 days."

"Ten days?" Kaliana repeated, worried. "But, I just got here! I have something important to tell him!"

"Alright." Sasuke nodded. "I'll keep him preoccupied while you're…finishing up." He paused, looking down at her semi-submerged body. "We'll be in the woods a mile or so from the Academy. I'll make sure we stay there until you meet up with him. It's about 11:30 now…so, we'll say…3:00?"

Kaliana stared at him, her eyes narrow with suspicion. "What's the catch? You wanna strip down and get in here with me? Is that it?"

Sasuke smiled at the thought. "No. There's no catch. Your Uncle misses you, that's all."

Kaliana gave one last glare of suspicion, then shrugged. "Well, alright…but this doesn't change a thing. I still think you're a creepy little pervert, and the only reason you're doing this is so I'll think you're charming, therefore, opening up a tiny possibility of me wanting to go out with you. Well, I'm sorry, kid, but I'm turning you down. I'm into redheads."

Sasuke laughed a little. "Whatever, just be there at 3:00."

"Yeah, yeah. 3:00, it's a date." Kaliana's cheeks burned as she noticed Sasuke's grin and realized what she said. "I mean…uh…it's a date with my Uncle! **NO!** I mean…I…uh**…OH, JUST GO AWAY, ALREADY!!!**"

Sasuke chuckled a little and shook his head. _Man, this chick is cute...dumb, but cute. _He thought to himself as he left the room. "And by the way, I'm not sure if you realize it, but this bathroom isn't coed…it's the BOYS bathroom!" He shouted before leaving the bathroom completely.

Kaliana lunged forward into a rigid sitting position, eyes wide and face red as a cherry. She leapt from the tub, threw her clothes on, gathered her belongings from the bathroom stall, and rushed to the entrance door. She pulled it away from the wall and took a glance at the top of the door, where she noticed the sign that read 'Boys'. She ripped it off the door furiously. Shouting frantically, she slammed it against the wall.

"**Well, I can certainly think of a better place to put this!" **

* * *

She scurried away from bathhouse inconspicuously. After she had gotten a fair distance away, she noticed the half-glove on her right hand. She gave an annoyed grunt.

"Damn, I forgot to wash under this stupid glove. Why do I only have one anyway?" She lifted her left hand and proceeded to remove the glove.

"_Kaliana, there's something I forgot to tell you…"_ Hizoku started.

The glove came off. In an instant, the flesh disappeared; in its place was a wavy flame of chakra surrounding the remaining bones of her hand and wrist. Kaliana shouted in disgust.

"Oh my LORD! What happened to my hand! It's like…someone melted the flesh off of it!"

"_Let me explain."_ Hizoku offered in hopes of calming down the shocked shinobi. _"During my transformation, it was your right hand that held my handle. To activate one such as myself, I needed a flesh and blood sacrifice that I may bond with the person who awakened me. That is why only you can talk to me, understand me, and use me."_

"Yeah, but dude! You **ATE** my hand!" Kaliana stressed.

"_Oh, you're a lefty anyway."_ The sword scoffed, surprising Kaliana with its sharp comeback. _"Besides, is not the gift I gave to you in return better then your hand?"_

"Gift? What gift?" Kaliana asked, a bit more interested and less grossed-out.

"_Your hand."_ The sword repeated. _"It is now a medical tool. It can reach into the human body to remove obstructions and toxins, or to give chakra to an injured or weak comrade. It can even unblock chakra points closed off by a bearer of the Byakugan."_

"For real!?" Kaliana exclaimed. She held out the chakra-hand before her. From the wrist up was nothing but a skeleton hand with a single dancing blue chakra wave around it that looked similar to a flame.

Slowly, she reached for her own stomach. To her surprise, the 'hand' disappeared inside her. "I can actually feel my chakra flow!" She stated in wonder. "It kinda tingles."

She removed the hand from her body and picked up the glove, which she had tossed on the ground. She held it over the chakra wave that danced out of her wrist.

"How do I put this back on?" She questioned; feeling it would be quite a feat to form a glove over a hand that wasn't there.

"_Just drop it over the wave. It will form itself into the glove."_

Kaliana obeyed and released the grip she had on the glove. It drifted gracefully over the wave. Like magic, the flesh and skin grew back over the bones. The glove swelled and, in front of her very eyes, the wave of blue chakra vanished. The glove clung perfectly. On the palm of the glove was a red symbol. It looked like a flame surrounded by the body of a celestial dragon.

"_That seal is what makes it appear to others that you have a right hand."_ Hizoku informed, knowing that Kaliana was about to question it.

"So, if anybody asks why I only wear one glove, I just tell them I'm a Michael Jackson fan, right?"

"_Yeah…or you can tell them the truth and just admit you're a crazy person."_

"You know what, Sword? I don't like your attitude."

**End of Chapter 5**

* * *

**_CH. 6 "A Stronger, Faster Walking Disaster"_**

-------------------------------------------

Kaliana stared up at the huge medical facility and shook her head. "They can erect a hospital the size of the Tower of Babel, but they can't put a shopping mall in this town?"

-----------

She entered and walked up to the front desk. She scrunched up her nose at the smell of Lysol and sick people.

"May I help you?" The secretary asked.

Kaliana leaned over the counter, trying to look beyond the secretary and into the individual rooms. "Was there a Kakashi Hatake visiting someone today?"

"Yes he was, but he left this morning." The woman replied, trying to sway her body in an attempt to obstruct Kaliana's search.

"Crap" Kaliana mumbled, glaring at the nurse with distaste. "Okay, then. Can I see Rock Lee?"

"Are you a family member?"

"Well, no. I'm just an old friend who'd really like to see him."

"Sorry. No visitors right now unless you're family or unless his Sensei is with you. You can see him later."

Kaliana grinned under her mask. "Okay, then. Thanks." She said calmly before leaving the hospital.

-------------

15 minutes later, Gai walked into the hospital. "I'd like to see Lee." He said quickly.

"Of course Mr. Maito." The woman said. "Down the hall to the left."

"Thank you!"

Once in Lee's room, Gai shut the door. In a puff of white smoke, Kaliana appeared in the Sensei's place.

"Gullible nurse." She smirked to herself as she approached Lee's bed. She leaned over him and sighed. "Poor little guy…Lee?" She shook his shoulder gently. "Lee? WAKE UP!" She finished by giving him a firm, open-hand slap on the forehead.

The slap caused Lee to pop open his sleepy eyes and looked around, confused.

"Who…who are you?" He whispered, locking his eyes on the girl who stood over him.

"Hey, Fuzzy Wuzzy. Don't you remember me?" Kaliana spoke softly, flicking the hair out of his eyes.

Lee narrowed his eyes. "Fuzzy Wuzzy? Hey…wait a minute…"

* * *

**_Flashback  
_**  
_Seven-year-old Kaliana crouched low into the bushes and squinted. It was very difficult to efficiently watch Gai train from so far away. She inched closer hoping to get a better view._**_  
_**  
"_Hey!" A small voice came up from behind her._

_Kaliana jumped and whipped around. A young boy, about 5 or 6, stood watching her, his hands on his hips. Kaliana groaned and rolled her eyes._

"_Oh, it's just you. Take a hike kid, I'm busy."_

"_Busy spying on Gai Sensei! You're in a lot of trouble!" Lee's voice became louder with each word._

"_Keep it down will ya?" Kaliana whispered. "You're gonna get me cau…AHH!"_

_Kaliana was cut short when a large hand picked her up off the ground by her arm. She was now face to face with a seemingly unpleased Gai._

"_Kaliana…" Gai said sternly._

_Kaliana sighed and hung her head._

"_I'm in trouble, aren't I?"_

"_Ya think?" Gai asked sarcastically._

_As Gai lead her away, Kaliana turned back towards Lee, who stood proudly. She frowned and called back to him with distaste._

"_Thanks a lot, Fuzzy Wuzzy!"_

* * *

"Kaliana!" Lee shouted happily. "Oh, my! It's very nice to see you after so long. But, why visit me?"

"Because I heard you got your ass kicked really bad in the Chunin exam Prelims. I wanted to see how bad of an ass-kicking you received." Kaliana said with a conceded smirk as she brushed her fingertips against Lee's forehead.

"Gee, thanks." Lee answered, knowing very well that she was just messing with him.

Kaliana chuckled lightly as she continued mothering the bed-ridden Genin. "Who did this to you?" She asked, noticing Lee's bandaged-up legs.

Lee turned away, slightly embarrassed by the question. "It's weird…and kind of unfair. That kid…he isn't even a real ninja. He's a demon."

"Lee..." A tiny voice called from behind the curtain that separated the beds. "Who are you talking to?"

Lee lifted his head towards the small voice. "Oh, Hinata, remove the curtain. I want you to meet someone."

Kaliana looked towards the curtain, which was pulled back, revealing a girl with very short, dark hair and light silver eyes. She was sitting at the edge of the bed. She, too, was covered in bandages.

"Kaliana, this is Hinata Hyuga. She's in Kiba's team." Lee introduced. "Hinata, this is Kaliana Inuzuka. She's Kiba's cousin."

Kaliana raised her hand in a friendly wave. "Hey!" She greeted. "You're Kiba's teammate, huh?" She looked Hinata over, but saw no sign of her blushing at Kiba's name. _That's strange…wonder who this one has a crush on?_

"Wow." Hinata gushed. "I never knew Kiba had a cousin…it's very nice to meet you…" Her cheeks turned a light shade of crimson and she averted her eyes bashfully.

"Like wise." Kaliana said in a friendly tone. "A babe as pretty as you must have all the guys droolin' at her feet." She stated in a clever attempt to figure out Hinata's secret crush.

Hinata blushed even more. "Oh…I…I'm not…I mean…not to who it matters anyway…He…well…I don't think he notices me…"

Kaliana rolled her eyes and sighed. _How can anyone notice you when you can't even finish a sentence? _"Well, whoever it matters to, I bet they think you're beautiful, whether you know it or not." Kaliana finished with a gentle smack on Hinata's back.

Hinata smiled softly. "Oh…I…well…thank you very much…"

Kaliana smiled and tiredly turned to Lee. "I hate cutting this visit short, but I really need to fine my Uncle Kakashi."

Hinata picked her head up curiously. "You…you're Kakashi Sensei's niece too? Wow…" She turned away and twiddled her fingers nervously.

"Hey, how about I turn the T.V. on for you guys?" She offered as she walked towards the door.

"That'd be great." Lee smiled. "Thank you very much for visiting us. I can't speak for Hinata, but you really made my day."

"It was nice to meet you…Kaliana." Hinata called, smiling.

Kaliana reached up and turned the knob on the television set that hung high above the floor.

"There ya go. See you guys later."

"Good bye." Lee whimpered, so grateful for his unexpected visitor.

"Bye." Came Hinata's tiny whisper.

"Peace." Kaliana said, flashing a peace-sign before leaving the room.

Kaliana used her transformation jutsu to turn into a nurse. She bowed her head and left. Lee focused on the T.V.

"Ah, Ninja Warrior. I love this show!"

Hinata returned to her bed and looked at the flashing screen. Suddenly, the T.V. sparked, sizzled and fell to the floor in flames. Lee and Hinata watched wide-eyed as the angry embers grew.

"Umm…nurse?" Lee whimpered.

"Oh my!" Hinata exclaimed, sitting up anxiously.

The T.V. exploded a bit and the flames roared and crept towards Lee's bed.

"Nurse!" Hinata called, pressing the button over her bed excitedly.

"Nurse…" Lee frantically called. **"NURSE!!!"**

* * *

As Kaliana left the building, she heard the fire alarms inside ring loudly. The sprinklers went off. She stepped outside before getting wet. She dropped the transformation and stared up at the building where the wet patients, nurses and doctors shouted in discomfort and scurried frantically in and out of the rooms. Kaliana checked her body, but found no flames radiating from her. She looked back up at the building.

"It wasn't me."

With a shrug, she continued on.

* * *

Kaliana rounded a corner and found herself in the alley behind the Ninja Academy. As she continued on, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed. She stopped and looked behind her. She noticed what seemed to be a blanket the color of the dirt. There was something moving beneath it. She removed 1 of her battling hooks from her shoulders. Cautiously, she placed the hook under the blanket and slowly lifted it. A small boy exploded out from under the blanket with a loud war cry. He held a thick branch and ran at Kaliana. He cocked back the stick and swung full force at her shin. It made contact with a loud crack.

"**GAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!**" Kaliana screamed as she hunched over, grabbing her bruised leg. "WHAT THE F…-!"

Before she was able to finish her sentence, the boy snatched her steel hook and used it to grab her other leg. He yanked it out from under her and Kaliana soon found herself on her back facing the sky. With a sharp snicker, the boy took off. Kaliana lied there looking at the sky, confused.

"Wow…I gotta admit, I didn't see that one coming."

After regaining her composure, she sat up and looked around. The boy had dropped the stick, but made off with her weapon. Kaliana licked her back teeth, agitated. She turned to her sword.

"I just got mugged and beaten down by an 8-year-old."

"_How embarrassing."_ Hizoku laughed.

Kaliana got to her feet and snatched the boys' stick. "Little snot!"

Folding up her pants, she focused all her chakra to her legs, gave herself a running start, then leapt high into the air. Hizoku formed its chakra bubble around her, sensing that they were about to take flight. Kaliana spotted the boy running down another back alley. Kaliana focused hard on speed, and sent herself hurling towards the thieving little boys' escape route.

* * *

The boy turned his head to see behind him without breaking his stride. No one followed him. He smiled and held up his prize, still keeping a fast pace.

"Ha! Another enemy easily defeated!" He jeered.

Suddenly, the stick he used to pummel his enemy's leg jetted out from a tree in front of him. He ran his throat right into it and fell backwards. Kaliana stepped from behind the willow, twirling the stick.

"I believe you dropped something." She said, a tiny bit of aggravation in her voice.

The boy sat up, rubbing the front of his head. "How dare you attack me!" He hissed.

"Attack you? You attacked me first, you little booger!" Kaliana spat back.

"You were sent here to assassinate my grandfather the Hokage! Admit it!" He accused, pointing at her.

"Grandfather? Hokage?" Kaliana rolled her eyes in disbelief. "OH, SNAP! SARUTOBI IS STILL ALIVE? WOW! Last time I saw that benevolent old crocodile, he made me a Genin and pissed off my Uncle Kakashi!"

The boy stood up in shock. "Kakashi Sensei is your uncle? WOW! That's Naruto's trainer!"

_Naruto…that's the second time I heard that name…_ Kaliana thought to herself.

The boy held out Kaliana's battling hook.

"Here you go. I'm sorry. I thought you were an assassin sent from the Sound Village."

A sudden sharp pain ran through Kaliana's temple and down to the back of her skull. With a painful groan, she fell to one knee, holding her head. As suddenly as it started, the pain was gone. Kaliana slowly rose to her feet.

_Whoa! What the Hell was that about?_

"_I sense you are in pain, Kaliana. Are you alright?" _Hizoku asked, concerned.

"You okay?" The boy asked just seconds after the sword.

"Fine." She answered both. "I'm fine. Just a headache." Once the pain subsided completely, she stretched out her hand. "My name is Kaliana."

The boy snatched her hand and began shaking it vigorously. "I'm Konohamaru! It's very nice to meet you, Kaliana." He said with a slight blush.

Kaliana nodded. "It's nice to meet you, too." She said politely.

_I'm not even going to attempt to remember THAT name…_

Pulling away, Kaliana turned back towards the Academy. "You wouldn't happen to know the whereabouts of my Uncle Kakashi, would you? What about this Naruto kid everyone keeps talking about?"

Kaliana looked down to see the boy staring up at her dreamily. He sighed and shrugged. "I haven't a clue where Kakashi Sensei is. He's NOT with Naruto. Naruto is training with Ebisu Sensei, last I heard anyway."

Kaliana narrowed her eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Okay." She said, uncomfortable with the strange looks this kid was giving her. "Well then, see ya." With that, she turned to leave.

"My grandfathers' not that old, just so you know." Konohamaru squeaked out.

"Kid, your grandfather was born old." That said, Kaliana bounded off towards the entrance of the Academy.

Little Konohamaru watched her as she left. I released a big sigh.

"She's so wonderful! Someday, she's gonna be my girlfriend! Believe it!"

* * *

Kaliana walked cautiously up the steps of the Ninja Academy.

"Well, here we are." She said with a sigh. She looked back at Hizoku. "My old school. What do you think?"

"_I think…people will question my origins if you go in there with me."_ Hizoku answered.

"Oh, yeah! That's right! We gotta hide you." Kaliana hopped off the stairway and walked into the shadow cast by the building.

* * *

Kabuto sat in a tree high above the ground, stirring his double Mocha Latte with a straw.

"I've been dying to try one of these things." He mumbled to himself. "Let's see what all the fuss is about."

He sipped the foamy latte, getting the foam on his nose and around his top lip. He pulled the cup away and looked at it with awe. "That is damn good coffee."

He'd been waiting for Kaliana to come into view for a couple of hours now. It was in the plan that she visit the school for a short amount of time to greet some old friends. From his vantagepoint, he could see the entire front of the school and most of the side. He watched as Kaliana took the sword into the shadows and hid it in some bushes. He narrowed his eyes as he watched her scan her surroundings suspiciously before walking away. He sipped his coffee gingerly.

_That's strange… _He thought to himself. _Why is she hiding Hizoku? And what on earth is she wearing? Where's her Kunoichi uniform? That's very peculiar… _

* * *

She stepped softly into the school, not wanting to make a lot of noise, least she interrupt something important. The hallways were empty, so she relaxed a bit. She looked up at the ceiling. It wasn't long before she was facing the door again, but walking in the opposite direction. Even as a child, Kaliana enjoyed walking backwards with her eyes to the sky, or in this case, the ceiling.

"This placed seemed so much bigger." She mumbled to herself as she recalled her tiny stature in comparison to the massive school.

But now, at 5'10", Kaliana didn't see the school as all that impressive anymore. She continued her backwards walking down the halls while her mind wandered down Memory Lane. In her daydreaming, she didn't notice the Sensei coming up behind her. He, too, was preoccupied, flipping through papers and files. Inevitably, the two collided. Kaliana bumped into him pretty hard, causing all the papers to fly out of his hands. She whipped around quickly to face whoever bumped her. The Sensei, too, prepared a long speech on how one should watch where they're going, least an accident like this occurs. But neither had a chance to talk about the event, for as they turned to face each other, both were overcome with shock.

"Kaliana!" The Sensei exclaimed.

"Iruka!" Kaliana shouted with glee. She immediately recalled her childhood crush on the scarred Chunin.

* * *

_**Flashback**  
_

_17 year-old Iruka busily pounded blackboard erasers while 7-year-old Kaliana cleaned the classroom, in detention again. She turned towards him hopefully._

"_Umm, Iruka, could I...."_

_"Be quiet Kaliana. Detention means 'no talking'."_

_"If it means 'no talking' for me, what does it mean for you?"_

_"It means giving more detention to those who won't keep their little mouths shut."_

_"Really? It seems to me like it means 'be a total ass."_

_Iruka snapped his head up from his work. "You just earned yourself another 2 hours of detention. Now, what does that mean to you?"_

_Kaliana didn't answer, but blushed beneath her mask._

_It means I get to spend more time with you, Iruka._

* * *

"Well, I'll be! Look at you! You…grew up, didn't you?" Iruka stopped as he noticed Kaliana's curves.

"Well, look at you! You…stayed the same." Kaliana trailed, seeing that Iruka looked exactly the same now as he did 9 years ago. She began to circle him, eyeing him from all angles. "Not that I'm complaining." She grinned.

Iruka blushed slightly. "So…how was the Academy?" He asked, changing the subject.

_Again with the stupid Academy. _She thought to herself with extreme distaste as she rolled her eyes.

"I gotta tell ya, Iruka…it was like no place I've ever been." She stated with a clever grin.

"That's wonderful. Does Kakashi know you're here?"

"Not yet. Do you know where I can find him?"

"No, I don't." He groaned as he began picking up all the papers. "Sorry."

Kaliana sighed and knelt down to help him. Of the many papers on the floor, Kaliana spotted one that read 'Naruto Uzumaki' at the top with a picture of a blonde kid, his face painted. Amused, she picked it up and began reading it.

"Umm, that's classified." Iruka informed as he reached for the paper. Kaliana pulled away and continued reading it.

"Kaliana!" Iruka stressed. "Give that back, or…"

"Or what? Gonna give me detention for it?" Kaliana retaliated as she tried to speed-read.

Iruka struggled to his feet and snatched the paper from her hands. "Honestly, must you be so difficult?"

Kaliana tried to lean over to finish reading the file, but Iruka pulled it close to his chest. Kaliana pulled back and gave him a temporary glare. He shoved the paper in the pile with the others he had collected.

"What is it with this Naruto kid?" She questioned.

"It's a need-to-know-basis." Iruka answered as he grabbed the last piece of paper.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you don't need to know." He straightened himself and cradled the papers against his chest. He began walking away, but Kaliana followed eagerly at his side.

"Iruka, I need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Well, the Academy I went to…did they ever send my Uncle a message of some kind?"

"Yes, actually. They sent him a bill because you stole a weapon. A sickle and chain, I think. Shame on you."

"I WHAT?" She gasped out.

Iruka stopped and turned to her suspiciously. "Don't you remember? That one, right there." He pointed to the sickle and chain that hung from her waist.

Kaliana stared at the Chunin for a moment, then down at the weapon before nodding slowly. "Yes…I remember now." She lied. "That's all they sent him?"

"That's all I know of. Why?"

Kaliana turned away, confused and very angry.

_I didn't steal this! I don't even know where I got it! Talk about a coincidence! Even if I did steal it…it wasn't from the school because I didn't even go there! Did that backward-ass Academy bill my uncle for something somebody ELSE stole? _

"Kaliana?" Iruka touched her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Kaliana looked to Iruka, who seemed concerned. She put her arm over his shoulder, lifted her mask, and kissed him on the cheek.

"I gotta go." She smiled, lifting the mask back over her face and scurrying off.

"Oh…okay." Iruka blushed. "I hope I see you later." He called.

"You will." Kaliana called back, a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

That said, she strutted towards the exit. Iruka smiled as he watched her go. He leaned his head on the wall and sighed. He opened the door to his classroom. The top half of the door was made of glass, but one couldn't see through, as papers of all sorts hung from it. He set his stack of files on his desk, on which stood an old stone paperweight carved in the likeness of the 3rd Hokage. The desk itself was handcrafted out of redwood, and sat nicely on a Persian rug. He searched through the stack…only to find that Naruto's profile was gone. Iruka growled to himself.

"That sneak! She only kissed me to get her grubby little hands on Naruto's file!" Iruka dashed to the door and flung it open, ready to scream Kaliana's name down the hall.

But, to his surprise, she was at the door, holding the paper out in his face. "Looking for this?" She asked.

Iruka jumped back with shock, tripping over the rug and falling right onto the desk, snapping it in half. The papers went flying everywhere again. Kaliana just stood there, eyes wide, knowing she was in trouble.

"Okay…I'm just gonna set this right here." She placed the paper on the broken desk. It slid to the center where the bulk of the other files fell. Iruka groaned and slowly lifted his head. Kaliana smiled sheepishly under her mask and snickered. "I think you need a new desk..."

"You…little…MONSTER!" Iruka, fuming mad, grabbed his paperweight and tossed it at Kaliana, who quickly jumped out the door and closed it. The paperweight smashed through the glass-part of the door. Iruka stared, jaw to the ground, at the damage he just caused.

"Ooh!" Kaliana groaned from the outside of the door as she walked away hastily. "That's definitely coming out of his paycheck."

____________________________________________________________________________

Kaliana tried to quicken her pace, glancing behind her every now and then to make sure Iruka wasn't charging at her. She was so busy keeping her eyes behind her she didn't notice the person walking towards her. The party in question didn't notice her either, as their mind was elsewhere as well. As they passed each other, their shoulders met with a bump. Because of the speed Kaliana was traveling, the person she bumped smashed into the wall. Kaliana herself was also knocked silly. Both turned sharply and snapped.

"Watch where you're going!" They hissed simultaneously. Kaliana's eyes widened. She recognized the boy immediately. The boy, too, stood amazed and dumbfounded, staring at her with great intensity.

"Sh…Shikamaru?" Kaliana stammered out.

"Kaliana…" Shikamaru gasped out. "I…I don't believe it."

Like magnets, the two were drawn towards each other. The collided, embracing one another tightly.

**_End of Chapter 6/End of ACT II_**

* * *


	3. ACT III Battle Royale

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction**_

**_ACT III: Battle Royal; Kaliana vs. Sasuke_**

_**CH. 7 "She Remembers!"**_

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's so good to see you again." Shikamaru sighed, not wanting to let go.

"Like wise." Kaliana squeaked as she squeezed her friend harder.

They separated and observed each other for a moment, for it had been just a shy under a decade since they'd last seen one another.

"Look at you!" Kaliana stated as she examined her friend from head to toe. "When did you grow up?"

Shikamaru's eyes traveled up and down Kaliana's body. "Look at _you_…when did you get boobs?" He laughed.

Kaliana's sudden laugh was heavily streaked with insanity. She opened her arms wide and shrugged. **"I HAVE NO IDEA!"** She choked out.

Shikamaru eyed her suspiciously. "…You do know what 'puberty' is, right? Or did they teach you nothing at that school?"

Kaliana's eyes widened at the question. She was talking to her best friend now, not a Sensei. She grabbed Shikamaru by the arm.

"I have something to show you." She said excitedly, finally finding someone she could confide in.

"Oh, no." Shika winced, fearing that a very deep secret was going to be entrusted to him.

Kaliana dragged him out of the school and then yanked him to the shadowy side of the building.

* * *

Kabuto, noticing Kaliana and her friend, set his half-empty cup down and leaned forward, listening intently.

* * *

Kaliana released Shikamaru's hand and dove into the bushes. Shikamaru scratched the back of his neck nervously. He nearly fell over when Kaliana revealed a massive, white sword with 2 blades. His jaw dropped.

"Whoa! Where'd you get that?"

Kaliana leaned close to her friend.

"Promise not to tell?"

"I promise." Shikamaru nodded.

* * *

Kabuto lifted his cup to sip his coffee.

* * *

"I never went to the Kunoichi Academy. I was kidnapped." Kaliana said, lifting her eyebrows dramatically.

* * *

Kabuto spat the coffee in all directions upon hearing the words fall from Kaliana's mouth.

_What the f-…she's not supposed to know that!_

* * *

"Kidnapped?" Shikamaru questioned. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that the people who claimed to be escorts to the school were fakes. They took me to a castle in the Sand Village."

* * *

Kabuto nearly fell out of the tree.

_She's not supposed to know that either!_

* * *

"From there, I escaped into a Toxic Swamp." Kaliana continued.

* * *

_She's __definitely__ not supposed to know that! _Kabuto screamed in his head.

* * *

Shikamaru stood there, dumbfounded.

"So, what did you do?" He asked, on the edge of his seat.

"I stayed there for 2 years…oh, and I battled someone! An assassin called…ah, hell…he had one of those stupid names, too…uhh…Oh, I don't remember his name, but he had a boy-girl that followed him. I think its' name was Haku."

* * *

Kabuto covered his face and groaned.

_Oh no…oh no, oh no, oh no! This is wrong! This is all wrong! She's not supposed to remember ANYTHING! What the hell happened?_

* * *

"And then what happened?" Shika question eagerly.

"I…I don't remember. That's where Hizoku comes in." She motioned towards the sword. "It didn't used to look like this. When I got it, it was nothing but an old rust bucket. Then, when I battled those two, it just came to life! And…that's the last thing I remember." She ended with a sigh. "The past 3 years is a complete blank."

* * *

Kabuto himself let out a giant sigh of relief.

_Well, it's not a total disaster. _He thought to himself. _At least she doesn't remember __everything__. I must inform Lord Orochimaru. Something has gone terribly, terribly wrong._

That said, Kabuto disappeared with a puff of smoke. The blast caused his empty coffee cup to drift to the edge of the tree branch, where it teetered to and fro teasingly in the breeze.

* * *

Shikamaru sat on the grass holding his head. It felt like it was going to explode with the new secret information.

He sighed. "Keeping this to myself is gonna be hard. Are you going to tell your Uncle?"

"Of course I am! I mean…well, I was going to…but…I dunno anymore. I'll have to talk to him, first."

"About what? I mean, if all of this really did happen, he needs to know."

"What do you mean 'if all of this really did happen'? Don't you believe me?"

"I don't know Kali…were you REALLY kidnapped? Or are you just messing with me like that time you convinced me my parents were vampires?"

"I'm telling you the truth! I was kidnapped! Where do you think I got this sword?"

"Alright, alright..." Shika sighed. "I believe you. But you really need to tell your uncle about this, okay?"

"Let's talk about something else…What can you tell me about this 'Naruto' kid?" Kaliana abruptly changed the subject.

"Naruto?…What's so fascinating about him?" Shika grunted, a bit of jealousy in his voice.

"I was hoping you could tell me."

"Well, besides the fact that he's the most annoying person on the planet, he did beat Kiba in the Chunin exam preliminaries."

Kaliana leaned back and lifted a brow. "He what? Seriously?"

"Yup. Smashed his face into the ground with a really wicked move."

"Oh, man! I really have to meet this kid now!" Kaliana smiled. "That's everything you know?"

"Yeah, though it's not like there's anything else interesting about him."

_I guess that's what Iruka meant about his profile being classified. Nobody is supposed to know about that demon fox inside him. _Kaliana thought to herself, recalling what she'd read on his profile.

"You'd like him." Shika mumbled. "He's a sneak and a prankster. Just like you."

"I am not a sneak." Kaliana grunted, getting to her feet.

Shikamaru laughed. "Still convinced of that, huh?" He asked, standing up as well. "Hey! It's been 9 years. Let's see your Shadow Possession Jutsu."

Kaliana swallowed hard and began sweating. "Sh…Shadow…Possession…Jutsu?"

"Yeah…you know, the one we'd practiced doing for 3 years before you left? Ring a bell?"

Kaliana grinned and blushed. "Uh, sure, right! That one…"

"You STILL can't do it?" Shikamaru gasped in disbelief.

"I can do it! Who says I can't?"

_"You can't do it."_ Hizoku stated plainly.

Kaliana glared at her weapon and cracked her knuckles. "I can and I'll prove it!"

_"Oy gavolt…"_

Kaliana focused on a dandelion a few feet away. She took a deep breath, took a defensive stance, and prepared the handseal. Shikamaru watched eagerly as she closed her eyes and focused her chakra.

"**Shadow Possession Jutsu!"** She cried.

Shikamaru watched as her shadow stretched out towards the dandelion. But, rather then connect with its shadow, it engulfed the entire plant and combusted into flames. Shikamaru leapt back, astonishment, while Kaliana released the jutsu and fell on her rear, eyeing the smoldering plant.

"Whoops…" She blushed. "I think I tried too hard."

"What the hell was that?!" Shikamaru exclaimed. "I've NEVER seen the Shadow Possession Jutsu do THAT before!"

Kaliana smirked and shrugged. "I improved it."

_"You produce way too much chakra to perform most conventional jutsus."_ Hizoku explained. _"That is why that poor little plant exploded."_

Kaliana looked up at Shikamaru. "I am so glad I tested it out on that weed first and NOT my Uncle Kakashi!"

Shikamaru sighed and shook his head. "You've always been weird…you still are. Go find Kakashi Sensei. We'll talk later about your…adventure."

"You got it." Kaliana got to her feet, hugged him once more and left. "See ya later!"

As Shikamaru watched her leave, he couldn't help but contemplate her story to himself. _Kidnapped by the Sand Village…lost in a Swamp…then hunted down by an assassin? Why would anyone spend so much time and effort to chase down and hold Kaliana captive? Of all people…why her?_

His eyes traveled to the coal-black dandelion. A soft breeze blew, knocking something out of the tree. Shikamaru brought a suspicious gaze the coffee cup and slowly knelt down to pick it up. It was still warm. He looked up the tree, his eyes narrow with uncertainty. He saw nothing but branches. With an irritated grunt, he crushed the cup in his hands and tossed it in the garbage.

_There's more to this then she's telling me…I can feel it._

* * *

Kin and Zaku exited the hospital, soaking wet.

"Stupid fire alarm system!" Kin growled. "Why can't they develop sprinkler technology that ONLY goes off in the room where the fire is! I felt like I was in the last half-hour of 'The Perfect Storm'! Not to mention, my clothes are totally ruined."

"Oh, shut up." Zaku groaned. "It was just a little water. How's that bump on the head? Still seeing doubles?"

"Ugh, you got that right." Kin moaned, rubbing the back of her skull, which still ached from her battle with Shikamaru.

"Tell me about it. I'll be shitting bugs for weeks." He concurred, recalling his painful loss when battling Shino.

"Is that all you two ever do is complain?" A voice came from the forest.

The Sound ninja turned to see Kabuto, leaning against a tree with his usual arrogant smirk.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kin asked with extreme distaste.

"I have urgent and possibly upsetting news to deliver to Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto informed.

"So? What do you want us to do about it?" Zaku inquired.

Kabuto grinned. "Kaliana needs a babysitter."

"What?" Both ninjas gasped.

"You want us to watch her?" Kin asked in shock. "Isn't that your job?"

"Well, technically, I only need one of you, though, it is nice to have company. In any case, whether you both go or just one, it needs to be done. I left her at the Academy. Good luck, and don't let her out of your sight for too long, but try not to be seen either."

"Why? What'll happen if she sees us?" Kin asked curiously. "Did something happen?"

Kabuto didn't answer, but rather retaliated with his own question. "Have either of you seen Dosu?"

Both Sound nin shook their heads. They hadn't seen their teammate since the Chunin Exam prelims.

"If you do see him…" Kabuto continued. "…Tell him Lord Orochimaru would like to have a word with him." That said, Kabuto disappeared post-haste in a cloud of smoke.

Zaku and Kin looked at each other suspiciously.

"Wonder what's wrong?" Zaku thought out loud. "Wasn't this supposed to be easy? Her memory was erased, wasn't it?"

"I dunno. All I know is, if it wasn't erased, we'd better go find Kaliana before she does something dumb."

"Right." Zaku agreed.

The two bounded off hastily into the trees.

* * *

It was about 2:45 p.m. when Kaliana's fist smashed easily through the window of her old room. She had found her way to Kakashi's house, a place she felt would be safe enough to hide Hizoku. She reached her arm in the hole she'd just made and unlatched the window. She lifted it open and slid inside the house. She peered around cautiously before speaking.

"This, Hizoku, is my old room." She introduced.

_"And here I was expecting The Ritz…"_

The room was completely cluttered with all forms of boxes stacked up against the wall. Everything was covered in dust and cobwebs. Kaliana grunted and crossed her arms.

"How do you like that? He turned it into a storage room! Real nice." She grunted as she turned to her bed.

The bed was covered with a clear plastic, so the mattress wasn't dusty. Kaliana pulled the plastic off and lifted the mattress, revealing the boxspring. She removed the sword from her back and placed it on the boxspring.

"Now then," She began. "I'm not going to have to worry about either of us dying because we're not touching, right?"

_"No, neither of us will die without each other."_ Hizoku comforted_. "In fact, as long as you stay within a 5 mile radius of me, I will still be able to feed you chakra. If you leave that radius, I will simply sleep, and you will have to rely on your own chakra."_

"Oh, I see. That's why I was able to make chakra flames come out back in that forest. I was at the 5 mile-marker, and found you at the 10 mile-marker." Kaliana stopped at her own words. "Boy, that was kinda convenient, wasn't it? That girl…" She gritted her teeth with aggravation. "Ooh…I'm gonna get her later…"

She decided to sort through her other weapons in an attempt to retard her anger. "Let's see now…I like these…" She kept the battling hooks with her. "…This, can stay here…" She set aside the bow and arrows. "This is cool…" She took the bullwhip. She stopped when she got to the sickle and chain. She eyed it suspiciously. "I don't remember stealing this…but I don't know how I got it either…it can definitely stay." She pushed it under her bed with her foot. She kept kunai knives and shuriken. Everything else, she shoved under her bed with the sickle and chain.

She turned her attention to the piled up boxes. Atop one of them sat a painting of a man with a big black and white dog. The man held a sword. Kaliana looked closely at it.

"Hey, I've seen this painting before." She recalled the painting she hid behind back at the antique shop where she got her pants. The painting at the shop was larger, obviously a print. This one was an original, as it had a brass plate on the bottom.

"Eudame Inuzuka." Kaliana read out loud. "Must be a relative." She looked closer at the painting. "Hey, Hizoku! You're in this painting too!" She exclaimed, pointing to the tiny dual-bladed drawing of the sword. "Who was this Eudame Inuzuka guy? Was he your first owner?"

"_I do not wish to talk about it now." _Hizoku stated, its voice sounding a bit down-hearted. _"We'll talk later."_

"Oh…okay then." Kaliana said suspiciously, now aware that her sword had some kind of emotional trauma. She grabbed a novelty 'Phat' pen out of one of the boxes and wrote the name 'Eudame Inuzuka' on her hand. Seeing that the room was a mess anyway, she threw the oversized pen on the floor. "I'll just look it up later." She turned to Hizoku, feeling empathy towards it. "You want a hug?" She offered.

_"Oh, go find your Uncle."_ The sword urged, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Alright, fine." She agreed. "But the offer is still on the table."

She grabbed the knob and pulled the door open. To her surprise, a large desk was in the way; placed in front of the door so obviously no one would enter. She crawled under it and closed the door behind her.

She glared at the desk. "Someone was hoping to never have to go in there again." She scoffed, not sure if she should believe that Kakashi would react positively to her unexpected return.

Kaliana looked around at her uncles' house. She shook her head with distaste.

"What a sty. Would it kill him to pick up a broom once in a while? This place looks condemned." She muttered as she headed out the front door, locking it behind her.

**End of Chapter 7**

**

* * *

**

**_CH. 8 "Hello, Uncle Kakashi…"_**

----------------------------------------------

Kakashi sat on a rock, his head resting on one hand, his book in the other. Sasuke was seated on a log, Sakura perched right next to him, eager to see him off, as it was Kakashi's plan to train Sasuke away from the Village and not return until the day of the exams. Sasuke, however, seemed a bit apprehensive about going off to train with his Sensei right away.

"Sasuke, what are we waiting for? We should have left hours ago. You know, the longer we wait, the less time we have to train." Kakashi informed, fidgeting impatiently in his seat while flipping through his book.

"I know." Sasuke grunted, copping an attitude.

Kakashi simply sighed and buried his nose in his book. "Well at least you know." He answered sarcastically.

Sakura leaned over and whispered. "Sasuke, who are we waiting for?"

"Hmm." Sasuke grunted. "Who says I'm waiting for someone?"

"Well…nobody. But…"

"Look, Sasuke, at least do some chin-ups or push-ups while we're waiting for…whatever it is you're waiting for. You desperately need to work on your stamina anyway." Kakashi ordered.

"Whatever." Sasuke growled as he got down to do push-ups; at least it would buy him some time.

"I want 200. Begin now."

While Sasuke began his push-ups, Kakashi brought his eyes back down to his book, but it was not to read.

25 minutes later, Sasuke had done his 200 push-ups. He looked tiredly at his Sensei, who still appeared to be on the same page of the book.

"That must be an interesting chapter." He commented.

"He's not reading." Sakura informed. "His eyes aren't moving. I bet he's looking at that picture of his niece again. How sad. She must've been very important to him."

Kakashi suddenly lifted his head and looked around nervously. "Do you two…I don't know…sense anything out of the ordinary?"

Sakura looked around, but shook her head. "Everything seems alright to me."

Sasuke smirked to himself. _Finally…_

"Hmm." Kakashi shrugged, returning to his book.

Suddenly, a tall girl came trudging into view on a grassy knoll directly behind Kakashi. There was a look of softness in her green eyes as she simply stared at the back of her uncle's head.

"Umm…Ka…Kakashi Sensei?" Sakura stuttered out.

"What is it?" Kakashi answered.

There was a feeling of familiarity the moment he finished his sentence. He noticed the direction his students were looking. Slowly, he turned around. A great feeling in the pit of his stomach arose as he laid his eyes on his niece for the first time in 9 long years.

"The first face I look for, and the last one I find." Kaliana said with a great sigh, as though she was trying to hold back her tears.

Kakashi rose slowly from his seat, eyes locked on his niece.

"It…it's...her!" Sakura exclaimed. "The little girl from the picture! Oh wow, look how big she got!"

"That's what I've been waiting for!" Sasuke said with gusto, nearly causing Sakura to topple backwards off the log in shock.

"Kaliana." Kakashi whispered softly, a great feeling of mixed emotions rising deep within him. "Wow. Look how tall you got."

Kaliana took a few steps forward, unable to tear her eyes away from her uncle's one visable eye. She stopped when she was directly in front of him.

Slowly, Kakashi reached his hands out, caressing Kaliana's cheek. She smiled as tears began to flow from her eyes. With shaky hands, Kakashi pulled the mask down her nose to her chin. A warm, yet shuddery feeling came over him the moment he laid eyes on her maskless face.

"Oh my…" He whimpered as the tears began streaming down his face. Flashes of his beloved sister ran through his mind. "You look just like your mother."

Kaliana was unable to control herself any longer. Sure, she was angry with him, hurt by his lack of responsibility, and enraged by his indifference towards her when she needed him most. But all of that melted away as she ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. Kakashi stood there, motionless, arms at his sides.

"There were days…" Kaliana started. "…Days that I thought I'd never see you again. I was so alone…I never stopped thinking about you, Uncle Kakashi. And no matter what, I'm so happy to see your face again…or at least your left eye…" She buried her face in his vest to muffle the laugh.

Kakashi, touched by her words, slowly wrapped his arms around her, cradling her softly. He placed his chin on her head as his own tears flowed. Despite the fact that she abandoned him emotionally, he still loved her.

"Kali…baby girl…it's good to have you back. Welcome home."

"What a beautiful moment!" Sakura whimpered as she wiped the tears from her own eyes.

Sasuke simply stood there, biding his time; waiting for the tender moment to come to an end already.

Slowly, the two parted, wiping the tears from their faces. Kakashi cleared his throat as he regained his composure.

"So, tell me. Are you a Jounin?" He asked, curious as to why he'd never gotten any notification of her rising in rank.

Kaliana flinched at the question. "Not exactly." She answered, feeling hurt that he had no idea what she had gone through. "I guess I didn't have what it takes." She cringed at her own answer. After all these years, she only wanted to make her uncle proud…and it seemed she was still an embarrassment to him.

"Then you're a Chunin, I presume?" He guessed.

She ascended an eyebrow as an idea suddenly formed. "Actually…I, uh, left before they had a chance to test me. Maybe you should test me." _If I pass one of his tests, that'll show him how strong I am!_

"Me?" Kakashi questioned. "You want me to test you? Well, okay. I have a test for you…"

Kakashi began rummaging through his pockets, looking for something. Kaliana sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Hmm…I know I have them here somewhere…" Kakashi mumbled to himself.

The familiar sound of tingling bells caught his ear. He slowly picked up his head.

"Looking for these?" Kaliana asked, holding the 2 silver bells in front of his face.

Kakashi stammered in disbelief. "Wha…how did…"

She tossed them at him; he bearly caught them, keeping his eyes glued to her in shock.

"What else you got?" Kaliana asked, arms crossed.

"Uh…I dunno." Kakashi shrugged, at a complete loss for words and suggestions.

Kaliana's eyes traveled to Kakashi's squad. She growled at the sight of Sasuke. "What about a battle with one of your students?" She quipped innocently. "According to Gai, you have the strongest team. If I beat one of them, that should prove…something, right?" She said with a shrug.

"Gai said that? Hmm…" Kakashi thought a moment, then nodded. "Okay then. I'll introduce you to them."

Sakura and Sasuke, stood up, ready for the introduction. Kakashi stopped in front of them, Kaliana at his side.

"This is my niece, Kaliana. Kaliana, this is Sakura Haruno."

Sakura bowed her head and flashed a welcoming smile. "Hi!" She said with enthusiasm.

Kaliana nodded in response. "Hey." She eyed Sakura for a moment, then smiled. "Totally digging your hair." _Was your mother a flamingo? _She thought to herself, trying not to laugh.

Sakura smiled and blushed a little. "Well, thank you!" She finished by flipping her hair vainly.

"And this is Sasuke Uchiha." Kakashi continued.

Kaliana glared maliciously at he who had earned the place in her heart as 'rival and hated-enemy'. "How's it going, Sasuke?" She said with venom.

Sasuke simply smirked arrogantly, his head held high. "You're 10 minutes late, Kaliana."

Kakashi and Sakura exchanged suspicious glances as the same unasked question raced through both of their minds. _How do__ they__ know each other?_

Kaliana ignored Sasuke's remark and started looking around, searching for someone. "Hey, Uncle Kakashi, where's that Naruto kid everyone's been talking about? They said he was in your group. I really wanna meet him."

"Ah, yes, Naruto. I kinda pawned him off on Ebisu for now."

Kaliana let out a frustrated groan. "Poor kid…I know how he feels." She mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Kakashi asked, not quite hearing her.

"Uh…I said where can I find them?" She lied.

"Oh." Kakashi didn't buy the lie, but decided to ignore it. "I believe I heard they were training near the bathhouses. Do you know where they are?"

Kaliana glared at Sasuke upon hearing the question. "Yeah, I know where they are. Don't I?" She asked the conceded Uchiha.

Sasuke, still smiling, licked his lips and raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner. "You should." He teased, every-so-often glancing over at Sakura to get a peek at her reaction.

Sakura's eyes traveled from Sasuke to Kaliana and back again. _Why is he looking at her like that? _She thought to herself worriedly.

"How about you battle Sakura?" Kakashi's suggestion brought the pink-haired girl back to reality.

Kaliana looked at Sakura and shook her head. "I don't want to battle her." Her eyes traveled to Sasuke. She pointed. "I wanna battle him."

Kakashi laughed. "You have quite good taste in your opponents, but he's in no condition to battle right now, and even if he were, he's my strongest student."

"He looks pretty healthy to me." Kaliana grunted, eyeing the dark-haired boy. "Besides, I was told that Naruto was your strongest student. This…little boy…is nothing but a scrub who likes to THINK he's strong."

Sasuke; fueled by the insults, among other strange emotions, stepped forward. "I accept your challenge."

Kakashi decided that it was time to break up the building adrenaline. "Sasuke, you know damn well you're not in any way ready to battle anyone right now." He turned his attention back to his niece. "Kaliana, I really must insist that you battle with Sakura."

"I don't want to battle with Sakura." She said with a growl. "I want him, right here, right now." She stepped closer, allowing her tall figure to tower over her pervy rival.

Sasuke took a deep breath, licking the back of his teeth. Her comment sounded very inviting, though he knew very well what she meant. He, too, stepped closer, looking up at her half-covered face.

"Let's do it."

Kakashi growled and stepped between them.

"Knock it off, both of you! Sasuke, you're NOT battling, and that's final. Kaliana, you either battle Sakura or you can leave. I'll leave the choice up to you."

* * *

Kin and Zaku sat in the trees several hundred feet away, watching intently.

"I told you if we found Kakashi, we'd find Kaliana." Kin boasted.

Zaku laughed to himself. "Man, I've never seen Sasuke act so…giddy. You think he…you know…likes her?"

"Wouldn't be surprised." Kin grumbled. "I've yet to see a guy who DOESN'T like her."

"I don't like her." Zaku growled.

"That's because she found out you're a pervert and broke your nose."

Zaku grunted and sat back. "When will you chicks learn that when a guy watches you shower, it's a COMPLIMENT?"

Kin picked up a passing beetle and shoved it in Zaku's face. Still in shock from his battle, Zaku jumped away in fear, falling out of the tree. Kin smiled to herself.

"Serves you right. Now, shut up. Things are starting to get interesting down there."

* * *

"Fine." Kaliana shrugged. "I won't battle anyone." She turned away, arms crossed.

"Oh, yes you are!" Kakashi grabbed Kaliana by the arm.

"You said the choice was up to me!" Kaliana grunted, trying to pull her arm free.

"Well, you made the wrong choice, **as usual**!" Kakashi snapped, pulling harder. "You're gonna battle Sakura!"

"No, I'm not! I don't want to battle Sakura, she didn't do anything to me!"

"And what might I ask, did Sasuke do to you?"

"Ask him." Kaliana motioned her head towards Sasuke.

Kakashi turned to his student. "Well, Sasuke? What do you have to say on the matter?"

Sasuke looked at his Sensei, then back at Kaliana. He lowered his head and closed his eyes.

"Nothing." He said simply. "I don't know what she's talking about."

"**WHAT!?!**" Kaliana roared, causing chakra flames to burst from her body, singeing off half of her shirt and the rest of her sleeves. The sudden combustion caused Kakashi to release the grip her had on her arm and leap back to avoid the heat of the blue fire. Even Sakura was force to retreat to a safe distance as Kaliana's flames roared almost as loud as her voice. "**YOU LYING LITTLE BASTARD! I'LL WRING YOUR NECK!**"

She charged him suddenly, fists clenched. Sasuke dodged the attack quickly, and continued to dodge almost every other flaming punch she threw at him.

"Kaliana! Stop it!" Kakashi demanded.

True to her character, Kaliana ignored him completely. She continued to throw her fiery punches at the dodging Sasuke, who was beginning to worry as her speed increased. She suddenly pulled one of her battling hooks free from the straps that hung on her back and lashed out, catching Sasuke by the shirt and yanking him close, finally allowing her flaming fist to make contact with his smug face. Sasuke fell hard on his back, so hard in fact, he actually flipped and landed on his stomach.

"Jeez, all this over a little peeping tom action?" He asked as he shakily got to his feet.

--------------------

"Wh-…wh-..what did he just say?" Sakura asked, eyes wide.

"Sounds to me like he just stated the reason behind Kaliana's rage." Kakashi answered, just as stunned as Sakura.

---------------------

Sasuke decided he needed to act fast, but without using too much chakra. He made the handseal for 'Ram'.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" In an instant, 3 duplicates appeared. They scattered, along with the real one, in different directions.

Infuriated, but undeterred, Kaliana grabbed both battling hooks and decided to pick off each Sasuke-clone until she found the real one. She chased one down and managed to snag it with one of the hooks. She pulled it close and ran it through with the other hook. The clone disappeared.

"One down, 3 to go!"

She focused her attention on another, and charged at it. It attempted to escape, but she pulled a few shuriken from her belt and launched them. Surprisingly, they made contact with the target, and it disappeared as well. Suddenly, a sharp pain ran from the back of her skull down her spine as one of the Sasukes let loose a menagerie of blows from behind. They finished the sneak attack with a flying kick, sending Kaliana careening forward and landing hard on the ground, her battling hooks sliding in opposite directions. She slowly brought herself up to her knees and turned. It was the real Sasuke, and he was performing some more handseals.

"Fire Style!" His voice rang out. "Fire Ball Jutsu!"

Holding his hand in front of his mouth, he blew a large fireball directly at Kaliana. She stayed put, her eyes closed and her hands held up, shielding her face. The fireball approached with perfect accuracy, but at the very last second, it stopped. Kaliana opened her eyes, shocked to see a force field of chakra resonating from her palms, creating an impenetrable shield; the Fireball resting quietly against it.

"Whoa…" She gasped; wearily getting to her feet as her eyes stayed locked on the transparent blue barrier.

Within moments, the Fireball was absorbed and the barrier disappeared.

Sasuke watched in disbelief, eyes wide. _How the hell did she do that?!_

_How the hell did I do that?! _Kaliana thought to herself. _Hizoku, did YOU do that?_

_"No, you actually did something competently by yourself for once. Of course it was me."_

_Well, I'll have another large order of chakra, hold the snarky comments. Let's take this battle to a whole new level…_

**End of Chapter 8**

* * *

**_CH. 9 "The Beat Down"_**

_**-----------------------------------------------------**_

Kaliana lunged, her body aflame once again. Sasuke dodged, revealing the last clone behind him. It threw a punch directly at her face. She caught the clones' fist in her hands and head-butted it in the gut, causing it to disappear in a puff of smoke. She turned her attention to the real Sasuke, her eyes burning with anger. He stood before her, his hands behind his back.

-----------------------

"Kakashi Sensei, aren't you going to stop them?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"In a moment." Kakashi answered, enraptured by the battle and his nieces' strange abilities. "I want to see what happens next."

------------------------

Suddenly, Sasuke's curse-mark began to pulsate and sting. It burned due to the amount of chakra he had to use for his Fire Style technique. He tried not to show any signs of anguish, as he didn't want this battle with Kaliana to end just yet. He couldn't activate his Sharingan, as that would only increase the pain in his neck. It was time for some Taijutsu. Without saying a word, he rushed at her full speed, preparing some Rock Lee-style moves.

Kaliana braced herself. She was hoping to perform some Taijutsu, and now was her chance. Sasuke leapt into the air. Kaliana did the same, and the 2 came hurdling at each other in midair. As soon as he was in striking distance, Kaliana lashed out with her leg in an attempt to kick Sasuke in the face. He was prepared for that attack, and pulled his hands out from behind his back; in them, Kaliana's battling hooks. He wrapped one hook around the pant leg of the offending foot that threatened to further damage his face and pulled, causing her leg to miss its target. After whacking Kaliana in the head with the other hook, he entangled it in her hair.

"Now, I'm going to show you why I'M Kakashi Sensei's strongest student! **LIONS BARRAGE!**" With that, he proceeded to shower Kaliana with painful kicks to her chest and knees to her gut as they plummeted back down to Earth, only every so often releasing the hooks to send a blow to her face with his fist; otherwise, keeping a good grip on them.

--------------------

"Look Kakashi Sensei! Sasuke's winning!" Sakura cheered.

"It…seems that way, doesn't it?" Kakashi tilted his head to one side in thought.

-------------------------

The two hit the ground with such force; Kaliana actually created a massive dent in the dirt where they landed. After a moment, Sasuke pulled himself out of the 6 foot-deep hole. He looked back down at Kaliana, who seemed to be unconscious.

-------------------------

"He did it!" Sakura hooted. "Go Sasuke!"

"I don't think it's over quite yet." Kakashi warned.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked curiously.

------------------------

As Sasuke walked away, feeling pretty good about himself, he didn't notice Kaliana rising from the indentation. She no longer had blue flames surrounding her, as she had that entire time. Now, sparks of white electricity zapped and flashed from her wounds. The look on her face was not one of amusement, but one of rage.

--------------------

"Oh no! Sasuke, look out!" Sakura called frantically.

-------------------

Upon hearing his teammates desperate cry, Sasuke slowly turned around. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"You think this is over?" Kaliana hissed as the White Chakra danced along her body, slowly healing her from his Lions Barrage attack. "You're wrong…you may think you're my Uncle's strongest student…but **I'M** his niece, and it's my turn to show you what **I** can do…"

----------------------

Kakashi looked on in awe. "That's…amazing." He gushed.

"What is it?" Sakura asked curiously.

"It's called White Chakra. According to various myths and legends, it's supposed to possess some kind of healing property, but..."

"But, what?"

"Well, only Saints and Priestesses are supposed to be able to produce it. Why does Kaliana have it, I wonder?"

Sakura looked out on the battlefield. "What about that chakra barrier? I've never seen anything like it."

"Yes…" Kakashi agreed, keeping his eyes on the scene. "That's strange too…"

-----------------------

Sasuke prepared to dodge an attack or weapon, but none came, instead, he felt a burning sensation within his body, and it grew stronger with each passing moment.

"Wha…what're you doing?" He moaned, feeling the pain increasing. "**AUGH!**"

----------------------------

Sakura began to worry. "Kakashi Sensei, what is she doing to him!?"

Kakashi stepped forward, a bit worried himself. "I…I don't know!"

"Well, do something!" Sakura pleaded. "She's hurting him!"

--------------------------------

Kaliana's eyes narrowed. "A few moments ago, I absorbed your chakra from that stupid, weak Fireball. Well, I've decided…"

Sasuke suddenly burst into red flames.

"…**I DON'T WANT IT!**" Kaliana finished, the White chakra lightning now flickering angrily all over her body.

Sasuke howled in pain as his own chakra ate at him from the inside out, burning his shirt off and causing severe burns to his internal organs, skin and flesh.

* * *

"OH, CRAP! WHAT IS SHE DOING!?" Kin roared, stunned. "SHE'S GONNA KILL HIM!"

"That is NOT going to sit well with Orochimaru!" Zaku agreed, biting his nails nervously.

* * *

The flames grew stronger with each passing moment until suddenly, Kaliana's concentration was broken.

"Ouch!" She flinched, slapping her neck.

It felt as though someone had sent a painful electrical shot through her neck and up to her brain. The eye on her necklace glowed a weak, yellowish color. In an odd twist of events, she soon found herself feeding Sasuke her White Chakra, healing him almost instantly.

_What the hell? I'm not doing that! _She shouted in confusion within her own mind. _Hizoku, are you doing that?_

To her surprise, the sword didn't answer.

Sasuke's cry of pain subsided, and then stopped completely. "Huh?" Even he was confused now.

The confusion swept across their spectators as well.

-------------------

"Wha-…is she…is she healing him now?" Sakura stammered in disbelief.

"I don't know what the hell she's doing!" Kakashi threw his hands up in frustration. "I don't even think she knows what she's doing!"

-------------------

Even Zaku and Kin exchanged confused looks.

---------------------

The white lighting on Sasuke died down and faded away, taking with them every burn and scrape he had received during the battle. Sasuke ascended an eyebrow and looked up at his still levitating opponent.

"Umm…thank you?"

"Don't thank me, you peeping son of a-…AH!" Suddenly, her white chakra disappeared, as her body was now completely healed. She dropped back down in the self-made canyon with a thud. The eye around her neck faded its glow, though the burn in her neck continued to sting and itch.

Kakashi and Sakura walked over to Sasuke, who scratched his head, still confused about what had just happened.

"Are…you okay Sasuke?" Sakura asked, concerned and keeping her eyes on his shirtless body.

"Yeah." He answered with chuckle. "Thanks to Kaliana."

Kaliana slowly pulled herself out of the hole with her battling hooks, which she had untangled from her pants and hair. "Stop thanking me already!" She growled, giving one final heave and finally rolling herself out of the deep indentation.

She wasn't permitted much time to rest on the surface, as a sharp blow from her uncle's foot caused her to tumble back into the hole.

"That was for disobeying me." Kakashi snapped. He turned sharply to Sasuke. "You, go home."

"What?" Sasuke questioned. "Why do **I** have to go home?"

"Because you disobeyed my orders just as much as she did. Plus, you lied when I asked you why she wanted to battle you, which we are going to talk about later, by the way. I'm going to say it one more time, Sasuke…go home."

With an annoyed grunt, Sasuke turned and left. Sakura went to follow.

"You, stay here." Kakashi grabbed her by the collar of her dress.

Sakura moaned and watched sadly as the shirtless Sasuke disappeared from view.

Kaliana heaved herself out of the hole with the battling hooks a second time. She walked away from it so as not to fall in again. Kakashi grabbed her by what was left of her shirt and yanked her towards him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He snapped. "Did you learn absolutely nothing from that school?"

"Was I supposed to be learning something?" She asked sarcastically.

Kakashi released her and buried his face in his hand. "What a waste of money." He groaned. "Well, if anything at all, you battled pretty well."

Kaliana lifted her brows hopefully. "Ya think so?"

"Yes…I've never seen anyone take a beating as gracefully as you did." Kakashi said, disappointed.

"Oh." Kaliana groaned in a nasally, distasteful tone.

"I should be asking you how you were able to absorb Sasuke's Fireball, or how you were able to send his chakra back with such force, you almost killed him. I should even be asking you how you learned to use White Chakra…but all of those questions pale in comparison to the question I really want answered…why in the hell would you heal your opponent just before you have them beat, you big dope? What were you thinking?"

"Nothing!" Kaliana whined. "I…didn't even know I was doing it…"

Hell, I didn't even know I had healing chakra!

_Kaliana! _Hizoku's voice suddenly rang in her head.

_Hizoku?_

_Thank goodness. I thought something bad had happened. I was feeding you some White Chakra because I sensed you were injured. We were doing a great job sending that peeping boys' chakra back at him, then suddenly I got cut off! What happened?_

_I…I don't know! I was going to ask you the same thing!_

_Our signal was intercepted…_

_Intercepted? What'd you do? Walk into an elevator? _

_Don't be ridiculous!…I don't know what happened…_

"Kaliana!" Kakashi's voice snapped her back into reality. "Are you even listening to a word I'm saying?"

Kaliana looked up at her uncle and blushed sheepishly. "Not really…are you mad?" She flinched, feeling another swipe.

Kakashi merely groaned and hung his head.

"No." He sighed. "It should be expected of you, shouldn't it? After all these years, you're still nothing but a pain in the ass."

Kaliana narrowed her eyes and growled. _Why you rude son of a…_

_Kaliana! He's your uncle!_

Kakashi reached into his pocket and pulled something out. "Hey, Kaliana. Catch." He tossed it.

Kaliana looked up in time to get whacked in the head with the object. "Ow!" She groaned, rubbing her head and glaring at her uncle.

"Can't you even catch?" Kakashi sighed.

Kaliana blushed. "I…didn't notice…you throwing anything at me." She growled. How could she tell her uncle that she was distracted by the voice in her head?

She looked down at the object intently. "It's my old headband." She said with a warm smile as she tied it tightly around her forehead. "I can't believe you still have it. Thank you."

"No problem. You battled well, and you didn't give up, so I think you deserve to wear it." Kakashi said with a shrug. He turned and started down the road where Sasuke had left. He turned back to his niece. "I'd love to help you learn to control that White Chakra of yours, but I really don't have the time. Try not to get into anymore fights until the Chunin exams are over, okay? Then we'll talk about it."

"Yeah." Kaliana agreed half-heartedly. "See ya at home…maybe."

Kakashi waved and turned away.

"Uncle Kakashi, wait!" Kaliana shouted, having a sudden change of heart. _What am I doing?_ _I HAVE to tell him!_

"Yeah?" Kakashi asked.

Kaliana opened her mouth, but no words came out. _Why should I tell him? He doesn't care, you see that…he's always seen you as nothing but a pain…_

"I…nevermind…"

Kakashi shrugged and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Kaliana gave a defeated groan and dropped to her knees.

"Uncle Kakashi…I was kidnapped…" She whispered to herself sadly.

She shifted her eyes to Sakura, who was still staring blankly down the road. She approached the love-struck Genin and tapped her shoulder. Sakura jumped a little and turned to Kaliana, eyes wide with questioning.

"Hi. I'm reality. Have we met?" Kaliana asked sarcastically.

Sakura stared at her for a moment, then shook her head, as if to wake herself up.

"Where'd Kakashi Sensei go?"

"Away." Kaliana answered simply.

"Well, did he leave any instructions for me?"

Kaliana was about to dismiss Sakura to go home, but decided she'd rather have some fun with the clueless pink-haired Genin first.

"Actually, he did…"

* * *

"She…healed Sasuke." Kin muttered in disbelief.

"Yeah, I know. But I don't think she made the decision alone." Zaku gasped out.

"Orochimaru…" Kin agreed, knowing exactly what her teammate was getting at. "He won't even let her hurt his precious Sasuke."

They noticed Kaliana leaving the scene. Cutting their conversation short, the Sound ninjas hopped away in pursuit.

* * *

Sakura walked over to the hole Kaliana and Sasuke had made during their battle. She shrugged and hopped in. She sat down in the dark indentation and waited.

"I wonder why Kakashi Sensei wants **me** to guard this hole? I didn't know White Chakra left remnants of itself that could be collected for evil purposes…then again, I didn't even know White Chakra existed…Hmm…I wonder how long I should wait here…"

* * *

Kaliana walked quietly, her hands behind her head and her eyes on the ground. She had hoped that tricking the gullible Genin would help put her mind at ease, but all she could think about was the White Chakra. She recalled Hizoku saying it healed her.

"That's so weird…I wonder why Hizoku makes White Chakra? I'm pretty sure only Priestesses and Saints make it." She sighed. "I wish it would tell me about its past…" She scratched her neck, flinching as her nails brushed against the burn mark. "Ah! What the hell?"

Her thoughts on the painful welt were cut short when a couple of passing guys, whistled at her before moving on, chuckling amongst themselves; one of them even snapped a picture when she turned and looked at them. Kaliana growled annoyingly at the flirtatious gestures and looked at her reflection in a store window. She hadn't noticed until now that her shirt was completely singed off, with the exception of a small amount that covered her chest and 2 tiny wisps of shoulder straps.

"Oh...oops." She muttered to herself, blushing. "I thought I felt a breeze."

She turned to the store and entered. A few moments later, she returned outside, feeling a lot better. She wore, beneath what was left of her spandex cut-off, a brand new net shirt. The arms, neck and bottom were lined with red material. Another pair of guys walked by. They didn't hoot or whistle. With a relaxed sigh, Kaliana continued down the road. A delicious scent permeated the air, causing her mouth to water. She followed it to a restaurant. In the window, they showcased tasty gourmet dishes. She particularly eyed the garlic chicken with the noodles in cream sauce. She eagerly reached into her pockets, but all she pulled out was some lint, a few extra shuriken that didn't fit onto her belt, and a Phillips screwdriver.

"Crap. I spent what little money I had on this dumb shirt!" She looked longingly into the window. "This sucks so bad…I'm starving!"

Suddenly, another scent filled her nostrils; a very familiar scent. With an exasperated gasp, she sped off and left the city streets. She disappeared into the woods.

* * *

Kiba sat in the forest against a tree. Akamaru lay across his lap, panting. Kiba stroked his head.

"Tired, buddy? Me, too. Kurenai Sensei's been working us like mules."

Shino stood by, his eyes on the bugs that crawled along his hands. He looked up at the sun, then over at his partner.

"Breaks' over. Time to get back to work." Shino reported coldly.

"Would it kill you to give us 5 more minutes?" Kiba growled.

Akamaru lifted his head and sniffed the air. He shook and yipped frightfully, hiding inside Kiba's coat. Shino, too, sensed something was amiss. Both stood there quietly for a moment. A single leaf fluttered to the ground. Kiba sighed and relaxed a bit.

"On second thought, maybe we should get back to wor…"

"**HIYA!!!!!**" A girl flew from the high branches and tackled Kiba to the ground.

Shino jumped back and prepared to strike, but the situation seemed less dangerous when the girl shouted, "Kiba Cub!" and threw her arms around the confused and shocked Kiba.

With a twitch of the eye, Kiba immediately recognized the silver-haired girl.

"K…Kaliana?" He stuttered in disbelief. With a groan, he got to his feet with Kaliana's help. "Jeez, what the hell is wrong with you?! You nearly gave me a heart-attack!"

"Oh, don't be such a drama Queen! I bearly touched you." She stated with a grunt as she crossed her arms.

Kiba smiled and threw his arms around his cousin. "I can't believe you're here! I was just thinkin' about you yesterday. How are you? Kakashi Sensei told me you've been at that dumb academy this whole time, but I've had this weird feeling that you were some where else…"

Kaliana placed her index and middle finger over her cousins' lips. "That conversation is best left for another time." She whispered, motioning her head to Shino, who stood there staring silently.

"Oh, gotcha." Kiba whispered back, ending with a wink. He turned to his stupefied partner. "Shino, this is my cousin, Kaliana."

"Your…c…c…cousin?" Shino stammered out in a quiet tone.

"That's Shino Aburame. I'd introduce you to Hinata, but she's in the hospital." Kiba continued.

"I met her already when I visited Rock Lee." She said quickly as she approached Shino, offering her hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your last name."

Shino slowly reached for her hand, not once taking his eyes off of her. "It's…Aburame…"

It was then that Kaliana noticed the insects crawling all around his hand and arm. With a shriek, she retreated backwards, plowing into Kiba and tripping over his body. She landed on her bottom and quickly yanked her cousin in front of her in an attempt to hide.

"Aburame…" She chattered to herself. "The Bug Clan…ugh…" No way in HELL that Hinata-girl likes this creepy kid! Blech…

Kiba looked up towards his disappointed friend. "Sorry dude. She doesn't like bugs." He said with a shrug.

Shino slowly brought his bug-coated hand to his side with a disappointed sigh. Kiba turned to his cousin with a smile. "You're alright. His bugs aren't going to bother you."

Kaliana rose slowly, brushing herself off. "I know." She said, trying to act tough. "I'm not afraid or anything…**GOOD LORD, WHAT IS THAT ON MY SHOULDER???!!!**" She began flailing.

"That's your hair, Kaliana." Kiba groaned, trying to hold back a laugh.

Kaliana ceased her flapping. "I knew that." She blushed. "Kiba, I need money! How's about kickin' some change my way?" She tried to quickly change the subject.

"What for?" He asked curiously.

"Because I'm starving and I'm weak and I'm an orphan and if I don't eat I'm going to shrivel away into nothingness…" She whined.

"Oh, alright already!" Kiba grunted as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some coins. "Here. It's all I got, but it should tie you over until suppertime. Don't worry about paying me back."

Kaliana happily accepted the donation and hugged her cousin.

"Thanks, Kiba." She said cheerfully, holding her left hand open to catch the falling coins. Kiba noticed the writing on her hand.

"Eudame Inuzuka?" He questioned out loud.

"Oh yeah!" Kaliana exclaimed. "I forgot all about that! I was gonna look it up later."

"Why would you need to? Didn't your father tell you the legend every night before bed? All Inuzuka members tell that story to their kids."

"Well, it was a long time ago…I was 3, remember?" Kaliana went to sit down on the ground, crossing her legs Indian-style. "You wanna tell me about him?"

"Well, alright. Hold on." Kiba turned to Shino, who seemed to be getting impatient. "Go back to Kurenai, Shino. Tell her I can't continue training today because…something came up. Would you do that for me?"

Shino didn't want to, but he certainly didn't want to look like a jerk in front of Kiba's pretty cousin. With a forced nod, Shino turned and left. Kiba turned back to his cousin and opened his jacket a bit, revealing a small dog. Kaliana frowned at the sight of it.

"Ugh…a dog…"

Kiba sighed and rolled his eyes. "Do you still hate dogs?"

"I don't hate them, persay…I just don't want them near me, that's all."

"Why not? What'd dogs ever do to you?" Kiba argued.

"Nothing personal! They roll in poop and lick their puppy-making tools all day! They're gross; so sue me."

Akamaru whimpered and retracted his head into Kiba's coat. Kiba moaned and stroked the pup's head through the jacket. "She doesn't mean it, buddy. She's just fooling…" He glared up at his cousin. "At least pet him or something! He thinks you don't like him!"

"Well, he's right…"

"KALIANA! Jeez…at least do it for me. Please?" He finished by unzipping his jacket completely; revealing Akamaru's tiny, shivering form.

Kaliana groaned and rolled her eyes. "Fine." She tapped her knee a couple times. "Come here, poochy. I'll rub your belly."

Feeling confident by the friendly gesture, Akamaru leapt from Kiba's jacket into Kaliana's arms and licked her face excitedly, thwacking her in the head with his tail as he climbed all over her.

Kaliana finally managed to grab the squirming puppy and hold him away from her. She turned and glared at her cousin, her face shiny with puppy-spit. "Now you see why I don't like dogs? They ALWAYS slobber all over me! Yuck…"

"Wow…" Kiba gasped in shocked. "He's NEVER acted like that before." He looked into his cousins' eyes. "The legend must be true."

Kaliana's head snapped at his words.

"What exactly is this legend of Eudame Inuzuka? And what does it have to do with me?"

Kiba took a seat next to Kaliana and closed his slanted eyes. "I don't know the REAL story, but the Legend goes something like this…"

* * *

"So, Kakashi Sensei…are we going to train or not?" Sasuke's voice muttered quietly.

Kakashi, who had been walking down the street with his nose in his book, turned to see his student leaning against a building, lost in the shadows, his black eyes closed.

"Ah, Sasuke. There you are." Kakashi answered. "I've been looking for you."

Sasuke nodded. "Well, here I am…"

Kakashi closed his book and leaned on the side of a building, looking down on his student. "Enlighten me. What did you mean earlier when you said, and I quote, "All this over a little peeping tom action?""

Sasuke looked away, blushing slightly. "It's not what you think."

"Oh, okay." Kakashi said, relieved. "So you DIDN'T see my niece naked?"

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Well…yeah, I did…actually…"

Kakashi growled and crossed his arms. "DID YOU?"

Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes. "She was in the boys bathroom…taking a shower. I saw her in front of a mirror…and she just happened to be nude. If anything, I was the victim."

Kakashi stared blankly at Sasuke for several minutes. "She…was in the BOYS bathroom?" He finally coughed out.

Sasuke nodded. "And unaware of it."

Kakashi shook his head. "Wow…"

"Yeah." Sasuke agreed. "In any case, it must be exciting for you to have her back after she was gone for so long. Are you happy, Sensei?"

Kakashi looked away. "Yeah…it's…great." He spoke in almost a whisper.

Sasuke ascended a suspicious brow. Sure, you sound thrilled.

"We'll leave first thing in the morning for your training. Be at my house by 8, okay?" Kakashi said abruptly before continuing down the street.

Sasuke watched as his Sensei disappeared from view. He could tell from the moment Kaliana and Kakashi reunited that there was some form of animosity between them, and Kakashi's attitude just confirmed it.

_What happened?_ Sasuke wondered. _Why, if he carries her picture with him everywhere he goes, does he act so cold and distant towards her now that she's here? Does he feel that it's been too long? Or perhaps it hasn't been long enough?_

**End of Chapter 9/End of ACT III**


	4. ACT IV Blood Brothers

**_Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction_**

**_ACT IV: Blood Brothers: The Fox and the Hound_**

**_CH. 10: "A Legend Unfolds"_**

------------------------------------------------------------

_"500 years ago, a man by the name of Eudame Inuzuka came to Konoha with his canine partner, Sakimaru. The 2 of them were known for their fierceness in battle; they never gave up on a fight. In fact, it was Eudame who invented the Man's Best Friend Jutsu. He and Sakimaru were always in that jutsu, even when they weren't battling. That's how close he was to his dog; an example of how every canine partnership should be. Anyway, Eudame was also known for making unique weapons. His most famous piece in creation was the Hizoku no Katana."_

* * *

"The what?" Kaliana's head snapped upon hearing her sword's name.

"Hizoku no Katana. It means Bandit Sword. He named it that because of all the lives it stole. Can I continue?"

"Yeah, sorry…"

* * *

_"Like I was saying, Eudame took a regular sword and welded it together with a hay sickle attached to a chain. Eudame loved that weapon. It's said that he could slay thousands of enemy shinobi with it in every battle."_

* * *

Kaliana sat forward completely engrossed, as Kiba continued with the story.

* * *

_"Then, one day, he came to battle a very formidable opponent; a fire-breathing bat demon. Eudame had never dealt with something that wasn't human, but he never backed down from a fight, and accepted the demons' challenge. During the intensity of the battle, Sakimaru became fatally injured. As he lay there, bleeding to death, Eudame decided to perform the Man's Best Friend Jutsu, in an attempt to save the life of his beloved canine partner. Just as the jutsu was taking place, the demon released a wave of chakra fire at them, hoping to defeat them once and for all. But…something went awry…"_

* * *

Kiba stopped when he noticed Shino standing over them.

"What is it?" He asked, a bit annoyed that bug-boy had interrupted the story.

"Kurenai Sensei said she doesn't mind cutting our work load short today on account of your…" Shino stopped to eye Kaliana. "…Cousin." He finished, still not entirely believing that this babe could possibly be Kiba's relative.

"Well, that was nice of her!" Kaliana exclaimed, nudging her cousin with her elbow. "And, she's a girl Sensei. Good job!"

"Yeah, she's great…can we continue?" Kiba asked shortly.

Kaliana repositioned herself to a more comfortable posture; lying on her stomach with her hands propping her head up. "Proceed." She offered once she was ready.

"As I was saying…" Kiba continued.

* * *

_"The chakra fire hit in the middle of their transformation. When the smoke cleared, Eudame wasn't there anymore, and neither was Sakimaru. The demon found itself confronted with a huge anthropomorphic demon dog. It was Eudame **and** Sakimaru; the chakra flames fused their DNA together as they were changing. This new demon, who now called himself the 'Fire Hound', felt the sword was useless, and he discarded it. He killed the demon with his own fangs, absorbing its chakra. After that, he became a terror as he ran amok all through the Ten Countries. He felled thousands of brave shinobi who gave their lives to try and stop him, but no one succeeded. Finally, one day, someone found his sword, and decided to use it against him. A group of ninja lured him into a trap, and ran him through the heart with Hizoku. To everyone's amazement, The Hound transferred his chakra and all his power into Hizoku, transforming it into an impressive, huge white-bladed sword. The chakra gave the sword both the ability to learn, and its own thinking mind. Fearing it would be used for wicked intentions, the sword was sealed in a shrine for 2 hundred years. After that, the shrine was raided, and the sword stolen. As far as everyone knows, it's supposed to be in an ancient ruined castle in the Sand Village, forever hidden from the world. As for the Hound, he vowed to be reborn in the soul of a 100th generation direct relative to Eudame Inuzuka to claim his powers from Hizoku and rule the lands once again as the Fire Hound demon…"_

* * *

Kiba looked at his cousin, eyes wide. "I can't believe I had never made the connection before! It's you! That's why dogs love you! You're the reincarnation of the Fire Hound!"

"WHAT!?" Kaliana and Shino yelled at the same time. "How do you come up with that conclusion?" She asked in half-disbelief.

"Because your father's bloodlines have been traced DIRECTLY to Eudame Inuzuka; exactly 99 generations. That makes you the 100th generation!"

It makes perfect sense! Kaliana thought to herself. I found Hizoku in the Sand Village's ruined castle! I'm really the reincarnation of that demon, and that's why only I can talk to Hizoku! Whoa…maybe there's a lot more to all of this then I thought…the people who kidnapped me knew that I'm the reincarnation of the Fire Hound…They must have wanted to use me to wake it up somehow…But why? And who else is involved in this?

"HELLO!" Kiba shouted waving his hand in front of Kaliana's face rapidly. "IS ANYBODY HOME?"

Kaliana shook herself from her thoughts and looked up at Kiba, who stood over her, hands now on his hips.

"What, were you having a flashback or something?" He asked sarcastically.

A new thought entered Kaliana's head as she stared stupidly at her cousin. "Why did you let this Naruto kid beat your sorry ass in the prelims?"

Kiba nearly fell over while Shino let out a chuckle at the sudden change in subject matter. Kiba growled and turned away.

"He caught me by surprise! The kids' sneaky, like you!" He snapped angrily.

"I'm not sneaky. What do you mean he caught you by surprise?"

"I don't wanna talk about it! Let's just drop it, okay?" Kiba turned away, blushing.

"The kid let one rip in Kiba's face." Shino said out of nowhere.

"**SHINO!**" Kiba roared.

Kaliana bit her lower lip in an attempt to keep from laughing herself into a coma. "Is…that…so?" Her cheeks expanded as the laugh threatened to explode.

"Don't…" Kiba warned.

She couldn't take it any longer. She tossed her head back and laughed hard. Kiba snarled and glared at Shino, who was pleased to have embarrassed his teammate. Kaliana wiped a tear from her eye and she managed to gasp out a few more chuckles.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry…" Kaliana gasped. "That's just…a really pathetic way to lose."

"I didn't lose because of that! It just…threw me off…" Kiba tried to save himself.

"Oh, that's right! He gave you the beating of a lifetime AFTER he farted on you…my mistake." She laughed some more.

"And when was the last time YOU won a battle, Kaliana?" Kiba sneered.

"Don't change the subject, little cousin…" Kaliana pulled Kiba's hood off and rubbed his head vigorously, leaving his hair a sloppy, frizzy mess before dropping him on his bottom. "Besides, I take beatings gracefully. Uncle Kakashi said so."

"Uncle Kakashi?" Shino questioned. "How can…"

"It's a long story." Kaliana shrugged. "Go back and read it."

"He'll make a mental note of that." Kiba grunted.

Kaliana smirked and hugged him. "Don't be upset, Kiba Cub. You'll kick ass next year."

"Hmm." He retaliated. "Thanks."

She turned to Shino, despite the shudder she got down her spine.

"Nice to m…" She stopped as the words refused to form. "It was nice to mee…" She stopped again and shrugged. "Ah, hell, I met you, right?"

"You did." Shino smiled beneath his baggy collar. "And, trust me, the pleasure was all mine."

"Yeah, I'm sure it was." Kiba growled in his throat. "Where're you going?" He asked as he noticed Kaliana walk away.

"I'm going to the bathhouses." She called back, turning to face them, but walking backwards.

"Why? You look clean." Kiba snapped.

"Naruto is training there. I've been dying to meet that kid since I got here. Catch ya later!" That said, Kaliana turned and left completely.

Shino looked down at Kiba and grinned, offering him a hand. "Need me to help you get up, Kiba Cub?" He teased.

"Shut up, Shino!" Kiba grunted, smacking Shino's arm away and pulling himself to his feet. "You're a jerk!"

Kiba stormed away while Shino following close behind him.

"Hey, Kiba..." Shino said quietly, as though he didn't want anyone but Kiba to hear him. "Your cousin is hot."

Kiba growled and shook his head. "Dude, that's not cool."

* * *

Kaliana entered the market where she'd seen the food. She bought a plate of it and ate heartily. Feeling satisfied, she got up to leave.

"My dear?" The old woman behind the counter summoned.

"Yeah?" Kaliana replied.

"It's getting late. Would you mind kicking that doorstop on the way out? I don't want it to get cold in here."

"Sure, ma'am!" Kaliana obliged. "And by the way, great food!"

"I'm so happy you enjoyed it." The old woman gushed.

As she left, Kaliana popped out the doorstop and let the door close behind her. However, she didn't realize that she kicked the doorstop a bit too hard, and the pointy wooden object went sliding across the floor and into a magazine rack. The rack fell forward onto the cashier desk, sending the cash register hurling into the kitchen and plowing into a pot. The pot flew off the counter and landed on the handle of a large skillet full of hot grease and spitting meat. The skillet flipped in the air and poured all of its contents, including the oil, onto the open flame of the stove. The entire store rapidly caught fire, the angry flames forcing their way out of the small store by breaking through the windows. A horrid scene, indeed.

As she slowly made her way to the bathhouses, a fire truck whizzed by and zipped around the corner, it's sirens blaring. Kaliana shook her head as the sirens faded away.

"Jeez! No wonder they call this place the Land of Fire…"

With a careless shrug, she continued on.

* * *

Naruto smacked the ground with the palm of his hand.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He cried. In a puff of smoke, a tiny toad appeared. Naruto clapped his hands together. "Hey, Pervy Sage! Look at this one! It doesn't even have a tail anymore!"

"Uh-huh." The old sage answered, his face in the gap of a bush.

He giggled to himself as he watched the girls play in the water. Naruto growled and stomped over to his teacher.

"Hey! Didn't you hear me just now?"

"Go away, kid!" The old sage snapped. "Can't you see I'm busy…researching? Go practice over there somewhere." The man said, shooing Naruto away.

He returned back to his spying. Suddenly, something big came hurling from the sky and crashing into the pool of water. The girls, frightened and surprised, gathered their things and rushed away.

"Huh?" The sage questioned, looking into the sky. "What on earth was THAT?"

Suddenly, a new girl with long silver hair exploded from the water, gasping for air.

"I am…so…taking…a bus…next time…" She choked, not quite finding the whole 'flying experience' to be all that cool anymore.

The sage sat forward eagerly. "Hey, she's new! What a hottie!"

The girl pulled herself out of the water and laid on her back as she caught her breath.

The perverted sage laughed even more as he squirmed in his seat. "Oh, I like her! Wonder who she is?"

He turned to make sure Naruto was still busy practicing his Jutsu. Then he snuck away towards the exasperated young girl. Kaliana opened her eyes and leapt to her feet when she noticed the tall, old man standing above her, smiling.

She gave a surprised shout and leapt to her feet, backing away slowly. "Who the hell are you?"

"Please, don't be afraid, my dear! I am Jiraiya, the Toad Sage and author of many novels! I was wondering if I could take some notes on you for my next book?"

"Book?" Kaliana questioned. "You mean books featuring that?" She pointed with disgust behind Jiraiya.

The old sage turned to see Naruko's butt-naked sexy jutsu. His jaw dropped to the ground, not with interest, but rather with extreme distaste.

"You? Get out of here! Can't you see I'm busy?" He growled, shooing the girl away.

Naruko was shocked. No one had ever been immune the his Sexy Jutsu, especially that pervy sage!

"You can't refuse me, Toad Sage…" She whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

"I believe I just did. Why on earth would I need you when I have a REAL hot babe right in front of me!" He said, pushing Naruko's arm away.

Kaliana put up her hands and backed away. "Hey, buddy. Go with your girlfriend, alright? I'm not interested in your porno."

"Oh, don't worry about her! She's not my girlfriend, she's not even a girl! He's a boy."

Kaliana cringed. "**WHAT!?** **Ew! Ugh, I'm ****so**** outta here**!" She turned to rush away.

"No! Please! I didn't mean for it to come out that way!" The sage pleaded.

Naruko stood, dumbfounded, as the girl began walking away.

"Hey…I know you…" She whispered. In a puff of smoke, a boy stood where the girl once was.

At that moment, Kaliana felt compelled to turn around. The moment she laid eyes on him, she recognized the bright blue-eyed boy immediately. With great interest, she pushed passed the old man and walked over to Naruto, her eyes never leaving him. Naruto, too, looked up at her with awe. A flash of the little girl in the picture entered his mind. He made his way to her slowly. The 2 circled each other intensely, never once braking their gaze.

**End of Chapter 10**

* * *

**CH. 11 "Of Ninja Mice and Men"**

--------------------------------------------------

"You're that little girl…Kakashi Sensei's niece." Naruto managed to finally speak. "You're Kaliana."

"Naruto Uzumaki." She grinned, as his was the only new name she'd committed to memory. She extended her hand. "I'm happy to finally meet you."

"Really?" Naruto asked, excitedly shaking her hand. "Wow! You wanted to meet me? But why?"

"Everybody I've spoken to since I got here won't stop going on about how strong you are. And, after I learned you beat my cousin, well, I just had to meet you."

His ego inflated, Naruto put his hands behind his head and chuckled. "Yeah. I am pretty great. Probably the strongest ninja you'll ever meet! What about you? Being Kakashi Sensei's niece and all, you must be really strong too!"

"I sure am!" Kaliana gleamed.

Once again, Naruto was rudely shoved aside by the old sage.

"Your uncle is Kakashi Hatake? How interesting! He's my biggest fan, you know."

Kaliana rolled her eyes, but decided to humor the old sage. "Fan of what?"

"Why, my novels of course!" The sage pulled out one of his books and handed it to Kaliana.

Kaliana grabbed the book and read the title.

"Hey, my uncle was reading this when I saw him today." She opened the book and read a few pages. She blushed and closed the book tightly. "Oh my gosh, my Uncle's a pervert!" She spat, opening it again and flipping through more pages. "That is vile! Ugh, putrid! How disgusting!" She put the book in her pocket. "I will have to check it out later to fully appreciate the grossness about it." She blushed slightly.

The pervy old sage chuckled and pointed. "Disgusting huh?! Don't deny it, beautiful! You're just as perverted as your Uncle and me! Are you certain you don't want to help me with my new novel? It's really quite easy. Just open you shirt and say 'ah'…"

With a closed fist, Kaliana punched the man in the face. Jiraiya fell backwards clutching his bloody nose.

"THIS is your trainer?" She gasped in disbelief. "This guy shouldn't be allowed anywhere near society, let alone kids! What the hell were you two about to do when I showed up?"

Naruto blushed slightly. "Aw, It's the only way to get this perv to train me, okay? It's not like I wanna do it. But, no one else wants to train me!"

Kaliana turned back to the sage, who was wearily getting to his feet, holding his nose.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Transformation jutsu aside, he's still a boy! How far were you planning on getting with him before you realize he has a PENIS?!"

Naruto looked down at his pants. "I have a penis, pervy sage!" He shouted in agreement.

"Not to mention, he's a minor!" Kaliana continued.

"I have an UNDERAGED penis!" Naruto agreed, becoming more and more interested in the conversation.

Kaliana turned sharply towards Naruto, her face red with blush. "**STOP** saying penis!"

Naruto blushed and backed away a few steps. "Sorry…"

"Hey, the kid doesn't seem to mind!" Jiraiya tried saving his own perverted skin. "Besides, I just look, not touch."

"Oh, you LIAR!" Naruto snapped, pointing accusingly at his perverted trainer.

Kaliana's jaw dropped as she turned back to the sage. "You're nasty."

"He…He's the one who's lying!" The perv thought for a moment, then grinned sheepishly. "Well, I did go for some boob-action earlier…but nothing else! Honest!"

"He smacked my butt too." Naruto whispered to Kaliana, who turned back to the sage, more disgusted then ever.

"You touched this little boy's ass?" She questioned in disgust.

"Once or twice…" He murmured.

"That's just wrong. C'mon, Naruto, I can't leave you with this guy."

"Oh, are you going to train me instead?" Naruto asked hopefully.

Kaliana took one last look at the sickening old man, then nodded. "Yes, I will. It's a hell of a lot better then leaving you with Touchy- McGrabAss over here."

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed. "While my Sensei is training my rival, I'm training with my Sensei's niece! What could be better then that?"

"You can't have my student! We're in the middle of a lesson!" Jiraiya struggled to his feet. "Besides, only I can teach him what he needs to learn."

"Really? Naruto, what exactly is this clown trying to teach you?" Kaliana turned to the kid, arms crossed.

"Uh…not much. He did teach me how to focus my chakra to my feet so I can walk on water! And we're trying to do the Summoning Jutsu, but he won't help. He just keeps eye-humping those girls."

"Summoning jutsu? Ha! I learned that one when I was 3! I could teach you that!" She gloated. "As for chakra-focusing, I was top of my class at age 7…look what I can do…" She put her arm up, and in an instant, it was engulfed in blue flames.

"**WOW!!!**" Naruto shouted gleefully, staring in wonder. "**That is the COOLEST**!"

Kaliana turned back to the sage, smiling under her mask victoriously. The old pervert shrugged.

"Hey, I'm trying to squeeze his teachings in with my research time! He's damn lucky to even be hanging out with me."

Kaliana prepared to respond, but Naruto exploded first.

"You pervy old sage! You've done nothing but hold me back! I don't want you to teach me anymore! From now on, she's my Sensei!" Naruto shouted, pointing to Kaliana, who was nodding in agreement with his rant.

"Mmm Hmm." She mumbled, twisting her neck with attitude. "You heard him; he picked me. Get over it."

"HER!?" The sage laughed. "You've got to be kidding me! What's this girl gonna teach you, kid? How to make a campfire?"

Kaliana's eye twitched slightly. "What's that supposed to mean, old man? Are you saying girls make bad teachers?"

"Oh, no! I'm not saying that. I'm just saying YOU'LL make a bad teacher. That's all."

A growl crept up Kaliana's throat. She felt her arms getting hot again.

"I mean, sure, you're obviously talented with Chakra control, but I'm a Sanin." The sage continued. "He couldn't get a stronger teacher then m..."

He was forced to cut his sentence short when Kaliana let loose a torch of flamage all up his backside.

Jiraiya screamed painfully as the flames engulfed his body. He ran to the water and leapt in, dousing the flames. He sighed, relieved as the cold water soothed his burns. Kaliana called to him from the bushes.

"**I AGREE, PAL! He couldn't get a stronger teacher then ****ME!!****"**

Naruto pointed and laughed. "That was so excellent!" He turned back to Kaliana. "Man, how cool was that; shooting fire out of your hands like a blow torch? I mean, you didn't even use any handseals! Please tell me you're gonna teach me to do that! Please, please, please?"

Kaliana put her hand up.

"Whoa, little buddy! Don't talk so fast, we'll get to all that eventually."

"I know, I know! I'm just so excited about it! I mean, I know we just met and all, but I think you're great! What's your Summoning Jutsu, Sis? Is it a dog of some kind, you know, because you're from the Inuzuka clan? Or is it something totally weird? Mines' supposed to be a toad, but maybe it'll be different if you teach me…"

Kaliana grabbed Naruto's flapping lips. "Slow…down…okay?"

"Mm-hmm." Naruto mumbled.

"Good." Kaliana released his lips. "Now then, The Summoning Jutsu…let's start with that, shall we?"

"Yeah! Let's do it!"

"Alrighty then. My dad taught me the Summoning Jutsu, but I haven't done it in a really long time." Truth was, she'd never successfully performed it correctly by herself.

"Well, lets summon it right now!" Naruto fidgeted impatiently. "I wanna see it!"

Kaliana sighed. "Okay. Let's see what I got."

Kaliana rubbed her hands together. She placed her fingers on one of the shuriken blades on her belt. Grinding her teeth, she pulled away swiftly. The blade cut her index finger open. Kaliana instinctively clutched her dripping finger.

"**OW! DAMMIT YOU SNOT-EATING BASTARDS IN HELL!**"

Kaliana noticed Naruto's questionable, fear-struck stare.

She shrugged. "What? A cut finger hurts." She dabbed the bloody finger on the tips of all 4 of her other fingers. Then, she stopped.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked.

"You wouldn't happen to know the handseals for the Summoning Jutsu, would you?" Kaliana asked, blushing slightly. "I kinda forgot…"

Naruto groaned and rolled his eyes.

Maybe I was better off with the pervy sage! He thought momentarily.

"Uh, it's, Ino, Inu, Saru, Tori, Hitsuji."

"Right. I knew that." Kaliana performed the handseals, focused her chakra, and then slammed her open palm to the ground. "**Summoning Jutsu!**"

Naruto watched in awe as the biggest puff of Jutsu smoke he'd ever seen burst from Kaliana's hand.

"Wow…cool." Naruto whispered to himself.

"Better back up, Naruto. The Inuzuka clan has a very powerful control over dogs." Naruto looked up to see the charred, soaking wet sage.

"Dogs? Like Kakashi Sensei's dog pack?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Sort of. But, the Inuzuka clan has a certain special bond with canines. This Summoning Jutsu can be deadly. Stand your ground."

Naruto did as he was told and braced his body. Even Kaliana was nervous, but excited.

What the hell was it that dad gave me? I don't remember it being a dog…I hate dogs!

The smoke finally began to clear. Everyone stayed silent. At last, the smoke was gone, and the eyes searched the sky for the head of a giant hound. But, the sky was clear. Kaliana scratched her head.

"Maybe I didn't do it right."

"Is…that it?" Jiraiya pointed, trying to hold in his laughter.

Kaliana and Naruto looked down. Her face turned bright red, while Naruto's eyes nearly popped from his skull. There, sitting in the grass, was a small, gray rodent-looking creature; it's eyes closed and ears back. Kaliana was stunned.

"I mutilated my finger…for a sewer rat?"

The tiny, furry creature opened it's large, silvery eyes and picked up its round, black ears. It looked up at Kaliana.

"Kuri?" It squeaked.

Kaliana smiled a little. "Well…aren't you cute?"

Suddenly, the perverted old sage fell to the ground, laughing and pointing.

"Yeah, that's real cute! Watch out, Naruto! He'll cute you to death!" The sage rolled around.

Naruto grunted at the Jiraiya's remark. He squatted down near Kaliana and her little creature.

"What is it?" He asked, eyeing the little gray mouse-ish pet intently.

"I…I don't know. I don't even think my dad knew!"

The little creature stared at the man caught in hysterics. It frowned, offended.

"Kuri-Kurio!" It growled in its high-pitched squeak.

Both Kaliana and Naruto noticed the creatures' change in attitude.

"Um…hey, pervy sage? I think you should stop, now." Naruto suggested.

"Why?" The sage asked, teary eyed. "Is it gonna come over here and teach me a lesson?"

"Well, yeah, he is…" Kaliana answered, exchanging looks with Naruto.

Furious, the little creature stomped over to Jiraiya, it's puff-tipped tail erect in the air. The old man wiped a tear from his eye.

"Hey, little fella! Are you gonna fight me, now?" The sage finished his sentence with a harsh poke in the stomach of the angry little rodent.

With a shrill scream, the creature launched itself forward and latched its tiny jaws around Jiraiya's nose and bit down hard. The sage leapt to his feet, shouting and flailing wildly. Now, it was Kaliana and Naruto who were laughing. Jiraiya dashed back and forth, screaming.

"GET IT OFFA ME!!!!! IT'S BITING THROUGH MY NOSE!"

"Dude, hold still!" Kaliana called, trying to help by chasing the old man around.

Finally, the critter released the toad sage's nose, but continued latching onto his face with its claws. The little animal then shoved the puffy tip of its tail into Jiraiya's mouth. He watched as the creature's eyes turned orange. A burst of powdery substance filled his mouth and burned his painfully throbbing nose. The little creature released him. Jiraiya's eyes turned to swirling wheels as he stumbled around. He fell to the ground, babbling incoherently.

"Whoa, are you okay, old man?" Kaliana asked as the little creature hopped onto her shoulder, satisfied.

"A had a baked potato for lunch but I only ate the skin!" Jiraiya gurgled, drool dripping from the sides of his mouth.

"Oh…well, good for you." Kaliana shrugged.

Naruto lay on his back, kicking his feet in the air, laughing so hard, tears were streaming down his face. "Oh, man!" He gasped. "That's priceless!"

Kaliana turned to the fuzzy little troublemaker, who rubbed against her face lovingly. "I remember you now! You're Kuriochi! Dad found you and gave you to me! Man, I had always tried to summon you myself when I was little, but I could never do it! Dad would be so proud of me right now!"

"Kuri-Kuri Kurio!" It exclaimed happily.

Naruto got up, wiping the tears from his eyes; he'd been laughing so hard, he didn't happen to overhear Kaliana's confession. "What an awesome little beast! What did he do to the pervy sage, anyway?"

"This little dude is able to make emotions out of pheromones in his tail. Whoever inhales the burst of emotional powder gets to feel that emotion themselves, only ten-times over. I believe orange is confusion."

The two looked back at Jiraiya, who was still on the ground, mumbling. "Mary had a little lamb…BUT I ATE IT!" He cried.

"Is he ever gonna be the same?" Naruto asked, slightly concerned.

Kaliana looked up and noticed the sky rapidly getting dark. She turned to leave. "Oh, he'll be back to normal in a few minutes. C'mon, it's getting dark. Wanna walk me home?"

Naruto looked back down at the old man.

"My nipple winked at me!" The pervy toad sage slurred, drooling blissfully.

"Sure!" Naruto smiled, running to Kaliana's side. He looked up at Kaliana admiringly. "I'll walk anywhere with you, Sis."

**End of Chapter 11**

* * *

**CH: 12 "Twilight Puppet"**

-------------------------------------

Kabuto raced through the treetops trying not to run into the branches. He did manage to hit a few, and at the breakneck speed at which he was traveling, it hurt…a lot. After a while, he decided he'd rather run on the ground then whack into anymore branches, although he'd have to travel at a considerably slower pace. He continued his frantic race through the woods until a familiar, cynical voice called to him.

"Kabuto!" It hissed.

Kabuto slide to a stop and, in doing so caused him to fall on his rear.

He got up quickly and turned to where the voice called. To his wonder, Orochimaru slunk from the shadows, a look of disdain on his pale face. Kabuto straightened himself out and bowed his head respectfully.

"Lord Orochimaru, I was looking for you…"

"Bad news? Aw…I'm already aware of that! Here's a pop-quiz for you: Why did I cut out my left eye and put it around Kaliana's neck disguised as a piece of jewelry? Do you think it's because I want to go steady with her?" He paused to place his hand over his left eye socket, which held a glass eye. "**I did it so that I could f*cking control her!"** He snapped suddenly, causing Kabuto to jump a little. "I go to check up on her today to see if everything is going as planned…and do you know what I saw?"

Kabuto shrugged, shaking his head nervously.

"I see Kaliana burning Sasuke to a crisp with his own chakra! I fought so hard to gain control…, In the end, I was finally able to interrupt the sword's bond long enough to control her chakra flow for just a few moments and heal Sasuke with her White Chakra…but in doing so, I received a huge headache." Orochimaru stopped to grip his still pounding head.

"You took quite a risk in doing that, sir. It could've…"

"Killed me? Yes, I know. Now, PLEASE enlighten me, Kabuto. What the hell happened to my plan?" Orochimaru tried to make his voice sound calm.

Kabuto took a few steps back. "Well, sir…she…she remembers…"

"**SHE WHAT?!**" His rage refueled, he whirled around and whipped a kunai knife at Kabuto, who ducked just in time, only sacrificing a few hairs from the top of his head. "**SHE REMEBERS??? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN 'SHE REMEBERS'?!?!?!?**"

"Not everything, though!" Kabuto shouted quickly, not wanting to anger the pasty-faced Sanin any more then he already was. In fact, he'd never seen Orochimaru so angry before. "She remembers battling Zabuza Momochi and everything before that as well. But, she doesn't remember the time she spent with us."

Orochimaru gripped the skin and cartilage between his eyes and massaged it gingerly, releasing a sigh of semi-relief. "Well, I suppose it's not a TOTAL loss, then…as long as she doesn't see anything to jog her memory. Keep all of my Sound Ninja out of her sight. Give Baki a message that Kaliana is alive. Tell him to keep the Sand Team away from her as well…she'll surely remember them, that is, if she hasn't seen them already..."

"Yes sir. But, how're you going to get her to retrieve the scrolls containing the Ferocious Hound Jutsu handseals for you if you can't control her?"

"On the contrary, Kabuto. I can't control her while she's awake. But once she falls asleep…" He cackled. "…Her mind belongs to me. How do you think she got from the Cloud Village to the Leaf Village so quickly? I take control of her mind while she sleeps and as long as her mind is still asleep, the sword will slumber as well."

"And what about Dosu?" Kabuto questioned.

Semi-amused, Orochimaru laughed wickedly. "That fool…"

* * *

_Dosu stood obediently before his master, awaiting his instructions. Orochimaru walked towards him slowly, a scroll in his hands. The tall Sanin stopped a few feet away, keeping a tight grip on the ancient scroll._

_"Dosu, you know why I called you hear, correct?"_

_"Yes sir." Dosu said with a bow. "And I must say, I'm honored that you chose me to carry this out. I'm perfect for the job."_

_"For your sake, I hope so." He handed the scroll to Dosu. "Listen to me carefully. This Jutsu is incredibly sensitive. It must be done perfectly. Inside that scroll, are 25 handseals. All 25 seals must be performed before you apply the jutsu to the center of her forehead…not to the left, not to the right…it must be perfectly centered."_

_"All 25…Perfectly centered…got it." Dosu turned to leave._

_"We're not finished." Orochimaru snapped._

_Embarrassingly, Dosu faced Orochimaru again, a bit impatient._

_"This…" Orochimaru held up a piece of paper. "…Is her new memory. Once she's unconscious, you must read it out loud for it to apply when she wakes up. Our decoy Kaliana will take it from there and send her towards her sword."_

_Dosu took the paper and read it aloud. "'You will Obey…You were brought to the Cloud Village Kunoichi Academy. You trained at the Academy for 9 years as a semi-talented Genin. You have no skills in anything except weaponry. You will follow all instructions given to you by ninjas of the Sound Village. You will return to Konoha with a sword. You will make small talk with old friends at the Konoha Ninja Academy. You will have a dark animosity towards your uncle Kakashi. You will not remember anything but this information. Everything that happened to you is a dream…you will obey…'"_

_Dosu folded it and put it in his pocket. "Very well. It shall be done." He bowed respectfully before turning to leave. "I will not fail you, sir. I promise."_

* * *

Orochimaru closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I entrusted him to perform that Forbidden Jutsu with complete accuracy; all 9 years were to be erased and a new memory installed. He failed me, and for that, he will be severely punished."

"What're you going to do to him?" Kabuto asked eagerly.

"That's none of your concern, Kabuto. Why are you here? Who is watching Kaliana?"

"Not to worry. Kin and Zaku are following her and staying out of sight. I shall go relieve them."

"No." Orochimaru said suddenly. "Leave them."

Kabuto looked at his employer, confused. "Oh…would you like me to find Dosu then?"

Orochimaru simply grinned and shook his head.

"Mm mmm…Tonight, you're coming with me."

* * *

Kaliana and Naruto walked down the street; Kuriochi had left the two of them to hangout under the streetlights so he could hunt bugs.

"So, you like Sakura, huh?" Kaliana questioned.

"Yeah." Naruto sighed. "But she's only got eyes for that jerk, Sasuke."

"All the better." Kaliana said with a shrug. "I don't think she's good enough for you anyway. What about that Hinata girl? She's cute." She lifted her eyebrows eagerly.

"Hinata? I guess she's alright…It's hard to tell, seeing as she has such a hard time talking to me."

Kaliana grinned. Bingo… "Aw, she's just shy. She'll grow out of that. Give her a chance."

"Mmm…I guess."

They stopped in front of Kakashi's apartment. Kaliana yawned and rubber her eyes.

"Well, little fox. I'll see you tomorrow morning…"

"Wait, wait, wait…" Naruto interrupted. "What'd you just call me?"

"Little fox." Kaliana answered simply. "Why?"

"How do you know about that?" Naruto asked nervously. "No one is supposed to know, except Iruka Sensei."

"Yeah, I stole…er, I mean, I 'borrowed' your file from him. You know, we have a lot more in common then you think…" Kaliana leaned to Naruto's ear. "I've got a demon in me too."

"You do?" Naruto asked curiously. "Really?"

"Yup…A hound. I was born with it in me, like you. Just found out about it today, actually!"

Naruto looked up at her with new, admiring eyes. He tore his face from hers, not wanting her to see the emotion in his blue shimmering oracles. Kaliana, picking up on his emotional distress, put her hand on his shoulder. He looked back at her, tears forming in his eyes.

"We…we're the same." He whimpered. "A fox…and a hound…demons…that's why you're so strong, isn't it?"

"That's right. And like you, nobody knows…except my cousin, Kiba…and that creepy bug-guy…but I don't think he was really paying much attention…" Kaliana smiled. "We're like…blood brothers."

"Yeah?" Naruto sniffled. He rubbed the moisture off his face, returning with a big smile. "We are, aren't we?"

"Sure are!" Kaliana exclaimed. "In fact, why don't we make it official?" She brought her hand down on one of the shuriken on her belt and slid it across the sharp blade. She flinched, but didn't curse. She held her bloody palm out to Naruto. "Whatdoya say, Naruto? Blood brothers?"

Bearly able to contain his excitement, Naruto pulled a kunai knife from his pocket and jerked the blade across his own palm. He grabbed Kaliana's hand in his own blood-covered appendage and squeezed, their blood intermingling with one another's.

"Blood brothers." He said with a genuine smile.

They released their grip on one another. Upon this, Naruto unexpectedly threw his arms around her waist and hugged. Her lean, towering figure dwarfed him, as his spiky hair bearly came to her chest. With an unsure grin, she patted him on the head.

"Be here tomorrow at 8 a.m." She said quietly.

Naruto stayed attached, clutching her tightly.

"You know…" He whispered. "I've never had a real friend before. I've had Sensei's and teammates; but never a true friend. You're my very best friend, Kaliana. Is that okay?"

Touched, Kaliana put her hands on his shoulders and gently pried him from her.

"Blood brothers, remember?" She smiled. "That's as tight as we can get. See you tomorrow, kid." She reached back for the knob.

"Okay!" Naruto finally released her and started walking away. "See ya at 8 a.m.!"

Kaliana watched as he disappeared into the darkness. She sighed and turned the knob, surprised to find that the door was unlocked. Kakashi was standing at the window. He'd been watching them.

"Oh, hey Uncle Kakashi."

"Why am I not surprised that you and Naruto would wind up being so close?" Kakashi asked rhetorically.

"Whoa, wait a minute, he sprung that hug on me from out of nowhere…" Kaliana stated, putting her hands up.

"Not that, you ham-hock!" Kakashi groaned. "I meant your friendship with him."

"Oh…well, is that a bad thing?"

"On the contrary, I think it's the best thing for Naruto. He could really use a friend. I just hope this won't be a distraction on his training with Ebisu."

"Actually…" Kaliana started, scratching the back of her head. "…I told Naruto that I was going to train him now."

Kakashi laughed heartily. "That's funny. Good one, Kaliana."

Kaliana furrowed her brows in offense. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kakashi turned to her, a look of complete disbelief on his face. "You're serious?"

Kaliana's stern stare answered that question.

"I don't believe this!" Kakashi shouted with a roll of his eyes. "Are you out of your mind? You can't possibly train him! He's way more advanced then you! If anything, he'd be training you!"

Kaliana's jaw dropped at the insult.

"This is out of the question." Kakashi moaned. "There is no way I'm letting you train him."

"**What do ****you**** care who trains him!**" Kaliana finally snapped. "**YOU'RE SO BUSY TRAINING THAT NO-TALENT OX, 'SAS-GAY' THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ****WHOSE**** TRAINING NARUTO!**"

"**THAT'S RIDICULOUS! NARUTO IS TRAINING WITH EBISU!"**

"**Yeah, far as YOU know!**"

"**What's THAT supposed to mean?!**"

"**I'll have you know Naruto has been KIDNAPPED by a large, hairy Sanin whose been sexually molesting him!"**

"**OH PLEASE!"** Kakashi roared. **"What a COMPLETE load! I think I'd know if one of my students were in ****that**** predicament!"**

"**HOW?!?!?! YOU ABANDONED NARUTO JUST LIKE YOU DID TO ME! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ****I'VE**** BEEN THROUGH! HOW COULD I POSSIBLY EXPECT YOU TO KNOW WHAT NARUTO'S GOING THROUGH?"**

"**WHAT ****YOU**** WENT THROUGH?!?!?! UGH, YOU'RE SO UNGRATEFUL, IT MAKES ME SICK!"**

"**UNGRATEFUL? HA!** **WELL EXCUSE ME FOR NOT APPRECIATING THE FACT THAT YOU ABANDONED ME!**"

Infuriated, Kakashi stomped over to the desk that blocked the entrance to Kaliana's room. He threw the desk over, the contents of it spewing all over the floor. He then kicked the door in and pointed to the bed.

"**GET IN THERE AND DON'T COME OUT FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT! THIS IS STILL ****MY**** HOUSE!**"

Kaliana tore her mask from her face and threw it on the floor. As she walked passed her uncle, she stopped and looked at him, tears forming in her emerald eyes.

"You're impossible." She growled before entering the room and slamming the door.

Kakashi's heart stopped beating for a split second. Those words…that look…it was the same look and words his sister, Akita, had given him before going out on her first date with Kamachi that ultimately lead to Kaliana's birth. An overwhelming feeling of guilt swept over him, and he was sorely tempted to knock on the door and apologize, but his manly pride prevented him from doing so. With great difficulty, he turned and walked down the hallway, entering his own room. He took one last glance at Kaliana's door, hoping she would peek out, and possibly seek him out for comfort; but it didn't happen. Guilt ridden and depressed, he withdrew into his room entirely and shut the door.

Kaliana's eyes stayed locked on her bedroom door as she lay in her bed. She hoped beyond hope to see her uncle come through the door so they could apologize to one another and sort things out like adults. But the sound of his own bedroom door closing dashed her hopes. She rolled over, cradling her pillow under her chin, and muttered distastefully to herself.

_"Kaliana, in my opinion…"_

"I don't care, Hizoku…" She snapped. "Go to sleep."

* * *

It was roughly 2:00 a.m. when Kaliana's eyes shot open. They glowed a sickly green. The eye of the necklace glowed brighter, the pupil wide and alive.

_"Get up."_ It instructed.

She tossed off her covers, but got up quietly so as not to awaken Kuriochi, who had returned sometime during the night and was now asleep on her pillow. She got dressed, snatched up her battling hooks and opened her window. She leapt out into the nippy night air. She landed neatly and bounded away into the trees. As her speed increased, so did her drive to complete her mission. She gracefully hopped through the forest with the cunning and physical prowess of a leopard.

Her leaps took her several miles away from Konoha to the outskirts of the Inuzuka clan's village. Perched high on a tree branch, she observed the scene. The small shrine was indeed guarded, but by only 2 men; one was standing in front of the door, while the other rested in a chair.

_"Kill them."_ The necklace ordered.

She slunk through the shadows of the branches down to the ground. She removed the whip from her waist and lashed out, grabbing the standing guard by his ankle. She yanked back on the whip hard, pulling his leg from under him and making him fall on his back. He then found himself being dragged into the darkness. His partner leapt to his feet when he noticed the other man being pulled into the shadows. He heard a loud cry, followed quickly by silence. Slowly, the remaining guard stepped into the night. As he got closer, he noticed the other guards' body lying across the ground, his eyes wide with the shock of his death. His throat was slit from ear to ear. The remaining man became increasingly frightened when he heard a twig snap behind him. He turned slowly…

The battling hooks lashed out, burrowing deep in his eyes. She twisted them and pulled, blood and other liquids gushing from the screaming guards' empty sockets. The man fell in a heap at her feet. Kaliana turned towards the shrine and approached the door. It had a lock on it. Focusing her chakra into her hand, she squeezed and the lock shattered. She flung the doors open and entered the shrine. She glanced around the dark building. Boxes full of scrolls were piled on top of each other. Kaliana began rummaging through them. After a while, she came across one that was sealed shut. The symbols on the seal read 'the stripes that bind'.

_"That's it…"_ Said the voice in the necklace. _"Take it and go…now."_

Kaliana obeyed and shoved the scroll in her pocket. She quickly dashed out of the shrine and back into the woods.

* * *

She ran for a long time before the glowing eye around her neck flickered and faded. Her eyes, too, stopped glowing. Now awake and completely unaware of her surroundings, she stumbled forward, tripped and went flying into the dirt, while the scroll rolled into the shadows. She picked up her head, eyes wide. She was in the middle of the dark, silent forest, a good 15 miles from home.

"What the f…-" She looked around, confused. "Where am I?"

She snapped her head to the right when a beam of light caught her eye. It was the reflection of the moon on a pair of glasses. The man with white hair appeared from the shadows.

"My, my. What's a little girl like you doing in the woods at this time at night? Don't you know this forest is full of beasts and bandits?" He asked, tossing the scroll in the air and catching it.

Kaliana stared at him for a long time. Suddenly, memories of the secretive past 3 years of her life began to slowly enter her conscious mind. She gave him an angry stare.

"You…" She pointed, getting to her feet. "Kabuto…" She gripped her head painfully. "I…I remember…why?"

Kabuto stepped closer to Kaliana, practically on top of her. He stared in her eyes.

"Uh oh…You're awake…that's not good…I'd better hurry up." He began to form handseals.

Kaliana tried to back away a few steps. Kabuto stopped in the middle of a handseal and sighed.

"Shit…you're not going to run, are you?"

Yes, she did attempt to run away. Kabuto dropped his hands and rushed to grab her. He snatched her by the arm and tried with all his might to hold her down.

"Jeez! Now I know why Dosu messed up!" He grunted, desperately attempting to hold her in place.

Kaliana ceased her struggling for a moment. "Dosu…I…I remember him too!"

* * *

_Kaliana slowly opened her eyes. It was already dark out, so she blinked several times to adjust her sight. As her vision cleared, she could make out a human form, crouched down and slumped over. Upon further inspection, Kali could see that it was Dosu, trying desperately to cram all 25 handseals into his memory. She attempted to move, but soon found that she was chained to a tree, her arms wrapped tightly behind her. She began to wriggle and squirm._

_Hearing the clang of the chain, Dosu got up and turned. He grinned._

_"Awake already?"_

_"What's going on, Dosu?" Kaliana questioned. "I thought I was going to be set free. Orochimaru said so..."_

_"Orochimaru would've told you anything to get you to shut up for five minutes." Dosu hissed. "Now stand still."_

_Kaliana eyed the opened scroll on the ground as Dosu stepped closer._

_"What's that for?" She asked, wriggling more. She looked down, noticing the tightly-fitting Kunoichi uniform. "Why am I wearing this again? What's the deal!? HEY!"_

_Dosu wrapped his fingers around her shoulders and pushed her down._

_"Quit squirming! Let's make this quick and easy, got it?" He warned, quickly bringing his hands together and forming several seals. "All 25 seals…no mistakes…"_

_"Quick and easy isn't exactly my style." Kaliana growled, as the chains dropped free of her wrists. "I prefer difficult and time-consuming…"_

_With that, Kaliana whipped out her fists and struck Dosu in the face and chest. As he fell backwards, Kaliana quickly untied the chains that held her knees against the tree and made a run for it. Dosu, recovering quickly, leapt after her, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her towards him._

_"UNBEARABLE LITTLE WRETCH!" He roared as he bashed Kaliana in the skull with the heavy, mechanical device attached to his arm._

_Kaliana tumbled backwards and hit her head against a tree. As her world once again began to blacken, her memories of her days as a prisoner in the Sound Village slowly faded away as the 11 handseals of the Memory Seal Jutsu began working it's magic…_

* * *

"He messed up…" She snickered to herself. "He messed up and now I remember!"

"Well, if you'd stand still for a moment, we can remedy that…"

Kaliana lifted her foot high in the air and brought it down on Kabuto's foot. While he yowled in pain, she wiggled free and ran towards the darkness of the trees. Her freedom was short lived, for she ran right into the waiting arms of Orochimaru. He licked her face with his long, sinuous tongue.

"Going somewhere, my dear?" He hissed menacingly. "I've missed you! Tell me, my precious…did you miss me?" He finished with a maniacal snicker.

"**UGH! YOU NASTY BASTARD!!!!**" Kaliana shuddered. "**YOU EVER LICK ME WITH THAT CREEPY TONGUE AGAIN AND I'LL TEAR IT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH AND STRANGLE YOU WITH IT! YOU TWISTED MOTHERFU…**"

Orochimaru laughed heartily at her threats. "Kaliana, my sweet! I've missed that delightfully filthy mouth of yours!"

She tried to struggle, but Orochimaru was stronger then he looked. "Let me go! I don't know what you're planning, but I don't work for you anymore!"

"Oh, do you hear that, Kabuto?" Orochimaru called back, laughing. "She doesn't work for me…"

Kabuto grinned, approaching from behind, continuing with the handseals. Orochimaru cackled in Kaliana's face.

"Have you forgotten, Kaliana?" He whipped her around to face Kabuto and shoved her towards him. He extended his hand, 2 fingers out. He made contact on her forehead with a spark of electricity between them. Within seconds, Kaliana fell forward, unconscious into Kabuto's eager arms. Orochimaru smirked wickedly. "You've ALWAYS worked for me." He finished.

He turned to Kabuto, who seemed to enjoy holding the knocked-out Kaliana in his arms.

"Take her home." Orochimaru ordered. "Don't be seen."

"How long will this Memory Seal Jutsu last?" Kabuto questioned.

"Because of that idiot Dosu, it will only last a few days, then it must be renewed again. She is becoming more and more difficult to control." Orochimaru finished with a bit of worry in his voice.

Kabuto managed to balance Kaliana in one arm while he reached in his pocket with the other. He pulled out the scroll and tossed it to his master. "Here ya go."

Orochimaru seemed pleased. He held it up in the moonlight. He turned back to Kabuto.

"Go, now. Meet me later, when you're done."

Kabuto obliged by leaving immediately, while Orochimaru disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Once they were about 7 miles from the apartment, Kaliana awoke, eyes glowing, the eye around her neck, glowing as well. Knowing that Orochimaru once again had her under control, Kabuto set her down. She turned to him, eyes still aglow.

"I'll take it from here." Her voice sounded much like his master's sinister voice. She began to walk away.

"Orochimaru." Kabuto called. Kaliana turned to him, eyes still aglow. Kabuto smiled slyly. "Humor me. I've been a good boy."

Kaliana approached him. She grabbed the back of Kabuto's head roughly and pushed his lips against hers, mouth slightly agape; an open invitation that Kabuto accepted without a second thought. Kabuto attempted to take it further. He slowly slid his hand down from the center of her back towards her rear. But Orochimaru wouldn't allow it, and ordered Kaliana to pull away. She cocked her hand back and slapped him hard in the face.

"Don't expect a treat every time you roll over, Kabuto." She hissed before bounding off.

Kabuto simply stood there, stupefied. "Should I feel aroused or insulted?" He rubbed his face, which stung from the slap. He shrugged and walked away. "Probably half and half…"

* * *

Kaliana finally returned to her windowsill at around 4:00a.m. She stumbled across the room and collapsed into her pillow, sending Kuriochi flying out of the open window. As her eyes closed, the glow in the eye of the necklace faded.

* * *

Kabuto joined Orochimaru in the woods as the sun began to brighten the sky. His master eyed the scroll, rubbing it as though it were a precious gem.

"So…" Kabuto started. "What do you want me to do with our little decoy? It's because of her that we caught this mishap so late…"

"Don't worry about her right now, she'll be taken care of in time." Orochimaru brushed him off. "Go find Dosu...Tell him I want him to assassinate that Sand ninja, Gaara."

Kabuto was about to object to that, knowing well that Gaara would kill Dosu, but quickly figured out that that was the idea. He turned to leave so that he could locate the illusive Sound Ninja, who had to be aware that he was in trouble.

"Oh, and Kabuto…" Orochimaru called, causing Kabuto to stop short and turn.

"Yeah?"

"I amused you by giving you a little taste of her…" He referred to the kiss Kaliana and Kabuto had shared earlier that night. "Don't be greedy…keep your hands to yourself."

Kabuto blushed a bit and went to leave again.

"Kabuto…" Orochimaru called again. Kabuto stopped again, feeling agitated. "I'm not kidding." The Sanin finished, glaring at the amorous white-haired boy from the corner of his eye.

Kabuto smiled to himself and nodded. "Okay." He answered simply before disappearing in a cloud of mist.

Orochimaru, finally alone, looked down at the scroll. A menacing smile crept across his face.

"The stripes that bind…" He read out loud. "Tora."

Upon falling from his lips, the word 'Tora' caused the seal of the scroll to break; an unseen black flame escaped from the broken seal and slowly floated away into the night sky. Orochimaru opened the scroll, revealing the clues to the other 3 secret handseals. He grinned his power-hungry grin, holding the sacred scroll close to his body.

_The Power of the Ryoken no Takedakeshi belongs to me, and The Leaf Village is now at my mercy. Be prepared, Konoha, for the hands…or rather, the paws, of Kaliana Inuzuka will be your demise on the day of your precious Chunin Exams..._

**End of Chapter 12/End of ACT IV**


	5. ACT V Sands of Time

**_Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction_ **

_**ACT V: The Sands of Time; Revelation of Truth**_

**_CH. 13 "Don't Let Her See You…"_**

* * *

A man stood waiting on top of a building on the outskirts of the city of Konoha. Half his face was covered by a piece of cloth. He shifted impatiently, every so often, checking his watch. The snap of a twig brought a grin to his face.

"You're late." He said, turning around. His expression hardened when a young man with white hair came into view.

The young man grinned. "Baki, you don't seem pleased to see me." He said, pushing up his glasses.

"Kabuto." Baki hissed. "I was specifically told that Orochimaru requested my audience."

"He did request you…but he's busy." Kabuto sneered. "He sent me instead."

"What is this about? Why did he call me here?"

Kabuto closed his eyes and smiled. "You're not aware of this…but 3 years ago…we found her."

"Found who?" Baki inquired.

"Kaliana…" Kabuto seemed even more amused at Baki's shocked reaction.

"You **WHAT?!** H…h-…h-…how is that possible? She could never have survived in that hellhole!"

"Well, it's true. Lord Orochimaru hired a well-known assassin to track her down. He succeeded, and retrieved both Kaliana AND the sword. We've been training her in the Sound Village ever since."

Baki turned away, stunned by the news. "I…I don't believe it…how on earth did she live in the Toxic Swamp for so long without receiving substantial brain damage?"

Kabuto said nothing; he just lifted an eyebrow and sighed. Baki nodded. "Right…nevermind…"

"She is going to be used to aid us in taking down the Leaf Village on the day of the Chunin exams…like ORIGINALLY planned; but until then, you must keep your Team away from her."

"Why? What would happen if anyone in my squad comes in contact with her?"

"A ruined plan for one thing." Kabuto looked around them, sensing that they were being watched. "And a shattered partnership for another."

Baki picked up on Kabuto's suspicions. He scanned the rooftop. A muffled cough could be heard from behind a pipe. Both men narrowed their eyes towards the sound of the spy on the roof. Kabuto walked over to the pipe and reached behind it, pulling out a very sickly-looking Chunin.

"Hayate Gekko." Kabuto chuckled. "You cockroach." He threw the ill man to Baki's feet. "Take care of this pest for me. And remember, Baki; let your team know to stay away from her."

"Right." Baki agreed, brining his glare down to the frightened Chunin below.

While Kabuto disappeared into the night, Baki sneered at Hayate with disdain.

"I don't know what you guys are planning…" Hayate coughed. "But whatever it is…the Leaf Village will not go down so easily."

Baki glared at the sickly man. "This is so far out of your league, Hayate…" He hissed before striking.

The task done, he left to go inform his students of the new rule…

* * *

Dosu wandered by himself in the woods. He'd been trying very hard to avoid being seen by anyone, including his teammates. He knew he was in trouble…he knew that he didn't perform the 25 handseals, and he was pretty certain that things weren't going as planned back in town. He figured he'd wait it out in the forest until Konoha was destroyed. He stopped and leaned against a tree, closing his eyes.

"There you are…" A voice hissed from behind.

Dosu jumped and whirled around, prepared to strike. Not surprisingly, Kabuto stepped out of the shadows, grinning.

"Dosu, why have you been so illusive? You act as though you've done something wrong…"

Dosu lowered his head. He turned away, embarrassed. "It wasn't my fault…"

* * *

____

Dosu looked down shakily at Kaliana's unconscious form. He gently knelt down and swatted her face a few times. "Kaliana…hey…wake up…" He whispered hopefully. There was no response; she was knocked out cold. Dosu gently reached out and attempted to clear the hair from her eyes; one silver hair in particular sat in the dead center of her forehead. He brushed it, his mind oblivious to the jutsu coiled tightly in his fingers…

**ZAP!**

Dosu fell back as s spark of greenish chakra electricity flicked from his fingertips and into Kaliana's head, leaving a brief mark that faded in seconds. He shakily got to his feet, realizing the fatal accident that just occurred. "Ah, shit…" He whimpered nervously. "SHIT! Now what am I going to do?"

Thinking quickly, he lifted and dragged her several feet towards the 'Welcome to the Cloud Village' sign. He dropped her near it, then pulled the new memory from his pocket. He looked it over, becoming even more nervous as time went on. What was the point of reading it? He had knocked her unconscious before all handseals were performed. Would the jutsu even work at all now?

He jammed the paper back in his pocket and paced frantically for a few moments. As an idea formed, he slowly knelt down to Kali's sleeping form.

"Okay…um, you DON'T remember being in the Sound Village. You don't remember Orochimaru…and, uh…you ESPECIALLY don't remember me! Got it?"

He stared at Kaliana's face, her eyes closed in slumber. With a frustrated and angry growl, he kicked her in the head several times before fleeing into the woods.

* * *

The Sound ninja turned away with a fierce grunt at the memory. "If Orochimaru wanted this done right, why didn't he just use his Metempsychosis Jutsu?…it would have made everything so much easier…"

"Don't try to cast the blame on others, Dosu. You know damn well he's been busy being the Kazekage ever since that rat tried to go back on our agreement concerning Kaliana." Kabuto snapped. "Besides…you're not in trouble…"

Dosu looked up hopefully. "I'm…not?"

"Nah! In fact, Lord Orochimaru is quite pleased with your work." Kabuto boasted. "He says it makes the mission more…interesting, less predictable…not so boring."

Dosu glared at Kabuto menacingly. "You lying scum…You think I don't know Orochimaru wants me dead for what happened?"

Kabuto laughed, flicking some hair out of his eyes. "Okay…so, he isn't really _**THAT**_ pleased with your work…but I know of a way you can redeem yourself."

"I don't trust you."

"Fine." Kabuto shrugged. "I'll just leave and let Orochimaru himself find you and decide what he wants to do with you…" He started to walk away

Dosu looked away, a bit unsure. "Wait…" He coughed out.

Kabuto grinned and turned slightly.

Dosu took a deep breath and stepped forward. "What do I have to do?"

* * *

Kaliana groaned as she slowly opened her eyes to the muffled sound of a digital alarm clock.

She tried to sit forward, but her body was stiff.

"What the-…"

She tried again, but failed. With a painful moan, she lifted her right hand, which sported the black leather glove. She removed it and placed the skeleton hand into her body. With a soft groan, she shut her eyes. She popped them back open after a few moments.

_My chakra is gone! It's…completely drained!_

After returning the glove, she slowly turned her head and looked over the side of her bed.

"Hi…zo…ku." She whimpered out.

_"Kaliana…your chakra is all gone. Let me refuel you…"_

Feeling her strength suddenly renewed, Kaliana threw herself out of bed…literally. She pulled herself up off the floor, rubbing her head. Shivering, she immediately ran to the opened window, shutting it tightly. She stumbled into the bathroom and washed her face. She looked into the mirror. She noticed a small puncture wound on her stomach. It looked as if it had already begun to heal.

"Ew..." She winced at the ugly cut.

She slowly brought her finger down to the injury. She pressed it. With a painful twitch, she quickly removed her offending appendage.

"Ow! Jeez, where'd I get that?"

Suddenly, she brought her face back to the mirror, her eyes wide.

"Have I been sleep walking AGAIN? This is so weird!" Kaliana said with an exasperated gasp. "Why am I still doing this? I mean, I thought I'd stop once I got home…"

She stopped suddenly, smacking her dry lips together. "Ugh…why does my mouth taste like co…" The muffled screeching sound brought Kaliana's attention to her Uncle Kakashi's room. "…ffee…?" She finished as she wandered down the hall to his door.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside, Sasuke approached the front door. He raised his fist to knock, but Naruto's presence at the scene caused him to hesitate.

"Naruto? What're you doing here?" He snapped. "Kakashi Sensei doesn't want to train YOU."

"I'm not here to train with Kakashi Sensei!" Naruto mocked his rival's voice in a nasally, obnoxious tone. "I'm here to train with Kaliana." He finished with an arrogant grin.

"What?!" Sasuke asked, shocked. "Why would she want to train with a loser like you?"

"Because me and her have a lot in common! But I suppose someone like **you** wouldn't know anything about it…"

Sasuke turned away. "Psh…when she figures out what a waste of time you are, she'll dump you off on another trainer too."

"I wouldn't count on it…" Naruto lifted his hand, exposing the healing slash across his palm. "See that, you creep? Me and her became Blood-Brothers last night!"

Sasuke looked close at Naruto's hand. "Tss, yeah right! You probably just cut yourself on a piece of glass, like a moron."

"You're just jealous!" Naruto laughed, retracting his hand. "She'd rather hang out with me then a pervert like you."

Sasuke blushed and looked at Naruto questionably. Naruto smiled his big, dumb grin.

"Yeah, she told me all about it! You're nasty, Sasuke."

Sasuke grunted and turned towards the door. He knocked, but very quietly. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"They're not going to hear that! You knock like a sissy!" With that, Naruto proceeded to pound at the door with his fists, turning every so often to kick it.

* * *

Kaliana walked over to her Uncle's bedroom door. She knocked once, then opened it and peered in. The blare of his digital alarm clock echoed throughout the tiny space. Kakashi was under a huge pile of blankets. Only one foot stuck out from beneath the massive pile. His snores seemed louder then the clock. Kaliana rolled her eyes.

"Well, at least one of us can sleep." Kaliana strained her eyes to read the clock.

It was 8:00 a.m. The clock was set to go off at 5:30 a.m. Quietly, Kaliana shut the door.

"He won't be up for hours." She whispered to herself.

The sudden bashing at the door caused her to turn her attention to the living room.

"Ugh, now what!?"

* * *

Sasuke pulled Naruto away from the door.

"Don't knock like that you idiot! They'll think its police or something!"

"So? It'll make them open the door faster!" Naruto gleamed.

Kaliana walked over the front door and opened it.

"Do you see this?" She pointed to a small box with a little white button next to the door. "It's called a 'doorbell'. You ring it, like this."

She pushed the button, but rather then the pleasant sound of a tingling bell; it was replaced by the sound of a woman in ecstasy. Kaliana quickly withdrew her hand, as though the doorbell were poison. Sasuke and Naruto blushed and looked down at the ground, Naruto was trying especially hard to hold in the snicker that threatened to escape from his lips. Kaliana sighed and shook her head.

"Sweet Lord…my uncle really **is** a pervert…"

Naruto flashed her a big smile, quickly forgetting the doorbell incident. "Good morning!" He cheered.

"Hey Naruto!" Kaliana exclaimed. She focused her attention on Sasuke, her attitude changing very quickly. "Ugh…what do YOU want?"

Sasuke groaned at her less-then-pleased greeting. "Your uncle wanted me here at 8 sharp to leave for training."

Kaliana turned to Naruto and motioned with her head for him to come in. He happily accepted and entered the house. Sasuke attempted to follow, but Kaliana quickly cut him off by jetting her arm out in front of him.

"Where do you think YOU'RE going?"

"Inside. It's cold out here." He said, becoming irritated.

"Uncle Kakashi is still sleeping. YOU can wait out here on the stoop." That said, she slammed the door shut. Sasuke growled and took a seat on the steps, his cold hands cradling his face.

He stood up when he heard the doorknob click. The door opened, and Naruto walked out, giving Sasuke a very conceded grin. Sasuke growled at him, eyes narrowed. Kaliana exited next. He turned to walk towards the door again, but Kaliana slammed it shut, and locked it, putting the keys in her pocket. She glared at him for a moment, then followed Naruto down the steps. One of her battling hooks became latched onto the collar of Sasuke's shirt. Unwittingly, as she walked away, the grip tightened, choking Sasuke and yanking him down the stairs. Kaliana noticed when he fell against her.

"Whoops! Got a little snag…" She worked the hook off of his shirt with her fingers.

Sasuke glared at her during the process. She caught his look and frowned.

"Don't you glare at me, you creepy little reptile! It was an _ACCIDENT_. You think I want you near me?" She tried to walk away, but Sasuke, who was now fed up with her attitude, snatched her by the arm and slammed her against the door.

"HEY!" Naruto yelled, rushing back towards them "What do you think you're doing Sasuke? Let her go!"

"Shut up, Naruto!" Sasuke snapped, not taking his eyes off of the very surprised Kaliana. "**Listen you, if you weren't Kakashi Sensei's niece, I'd KILL you! You'd ****better**** start showing me some respect, or else!**"

Kaliana stared momentarily, then, without warning, combusted into blue flames. Sasuke roared in pain and withdrew, holding his charred hands against his chest. Kaliana grabbed him by the throat and pulled him close.

"**YOU**** listen to ****ME****! If you ****ever**** lay a hand on me again, I'll burn you to a crisp and ****PISS ON YOUR ASHES****!**" That said, she released her grip by shoving him against the side of the stoop and turned away sharply.

"C'mon Naruto. I'm hungry now. Let's go to that Raman shop before we train."

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed happily. "I'm all for that!"

Sasuke rubbed his throat as he watched them go. With an evil smirk, he pulled his left hand out from behind his back…in it, he held the keys to Kakashi's apartment.

"'Wait on the stoop' my ass…" He mumbled as he unlocked the door and entered the nice, warm house.

* * *

Gaara, Kankuro and Temari headed towards the door. Temari reached for the handle, but retracted her arm when Baki entered the room, wiping his blood-covered hands on a piece of cloth.

"Wh…what happened, Sensei?" Temari asked nervously.

"Just performing a little pest control…where are you 3 going?"

"Well, me and Kankuro were just going to get something to eat…" Temari looked over at Gaara, who's focus was entirely on the door. "I don't really know where he's going…" She muttered softly.

"Before you go, I must inform you of something…" Baki motioned for his squad to come closer. "I met with Kabuto early this morning. Apparently, the Sound Village had located Kaliana."

Kankuro smiled to himself and nodded his head slightly. Temari and even Gaara snapped their heads up in shock.

"They…found her? Alive? How could that be?" Temari asked in disbelief. "Nobody could survive in the Toxic Swamp!"

"Well, evidently she did." Baki answered coldly, still amazed himself that she was alive. "Anyway, Kabuto told me to inform you 3 to stay as far away from her as possible. Do NOT for any reason let her see you…"

Kankuro's eyes bulged and he began to sweat nervously. _Oh, crap…_

"And whatever you do…do NOT talk to her. Understood?" Baki concluded.

"Yes sir." Temari nodded.

"I…uh…sure." Kankuro stammered out. _I'm dead! I'm SO dead!_

Baki brought his stern glare down to Gaara. "That goes ESPECIALLY for you."

Gaara growled in his throat and looked away. Baki looked over his students, then nodded and turned away.

"You may leave. But remember…do no let her see you and do not talk to her."

"Of course, Sensei." Temari opened the door and stepped out.

"N-no problem!" Kankuro exited hastily, narrowly smashing into the wall on his way out.

Gaara stood in the room for a moment, watching his siblings leave through the open door. He brought his cold gaze up to Baki, who watched him scornfully.

"You've betrayed us once because of her, Gaara." Baki hissed. "Don't do it again."

Gaara kept his hard stare on his Sensei for a minute or two, then left, his sleep-deprived eyes holding a treacherous secret that only he and his Sensei kept between them.

**End of Chapter 13**

* * *

_**CH. 14 "What is Love?"**_

-------------------------------------------

Kaliana watched in shock as Naruto downed his 5th bowl of Raman.

"Damn, little boy! You can really put that away, huh?"

"Mm hmm!" Naruto nodded, mouthful of noodles. "Aren't you gonna eat yours?" He asked as he slurped down the rest in his bowl.

"I did." Kaliana leaned back and looked at her bowl.

When she'd gotten it, it was loaded with beef with just a small amount of noodles underneath. Now, only the noodles showed.

"You only ate the meat!" Naruto stated.

"What can I say? I'm a carnivore! Besides, this chick makes some really good roast beef." She said, pointing with her thumb towards the red-haired girl behind the counter.

"Why thank you!" Ayame blushed. "Would you like some more? I have plenty!"

"Hell yeah!" Kaliana dumped her noodles into Naruto's empty bowl. "Hit me!" She slammed the dish down in front of Ayame, who obliged by filling Kaliana's dish with more mouthwatering beef.

It was then that Naruto noticed that Kaliana wasn't wearing her mask. He smiled, slurping down some noodles.

"You're really pretty without your mask! You shouldn't wear it so much."

Kaliana seemed surprised herself that the mask wasn't on. "Huh…I must've left it at home." She said while looking at her reflection in a spoon, licking some teriyaki sauce off her lips. "Oh no, that's right…I threw it in the living room after the fight we had."

Naruto stopped eating and looked up curiously. "You and Kakashi Sensei…had a fight last night?"

Kaliana smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah."

"It wasn't about me…was it?"

Kaliana looked sorrowfully at Naruto, then shook her head and looked away. "No…it was about me…as usual."

Suddenly, Jiraiya pushed his way between them, slamming his elbows on the counter.

"Hey, Ayame! I'll have 3 bowls of spicy duck Raman and 4 bowls of your super creamy chicken chowder!"

"Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked in disbelief. "What're you doing here?"

"Just here for some breakfast!" He turned to Kaliana, smiling devilishly. "Hello, you!" He flirted.

Kaliana groaned and pushed her dish away. "Ick…I just lost my appetite…"

"Ooh, are we gonna train now?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"When I'm finished eating." Jiraiya answered, working on his first bowl of soup.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Naruto snapped. "I was talking to Kaliana!"

"I already told you, kid. You're NOT training with her. Get over it…you've really outdone yourself, Ayame, this chowder is great!"

"You can't tell me who I can and can't train with!" Naruto shouted angrily. "Tell him, Kali!"

Kaliana went to speak, but Jiraiya held his hand up.

"I know you mean well. I know you're very strong, but me and him made an agreement. Sorry if he led you on or whatever. But he's my student whether he likes it or not."

"Look…" Kaliana started, but something in the distance caught her eye; A boy in a black cloak with some purple paint on his face. Her eyes widened.

Hey…that's the guy from the bathhouse! I gotta talk to him…

Kaliana got up and rushed away.

"Kaliana, where're you going?" Naruto called.

"Nowhere!" She called. "I'll be right back!" She disappeared behind a corner.

"Wait! I'll come with you!" Naruto got up to leave but found himself unable to follow. He looked down upon feeling a sharp tug on his waist. To his absolute shock, he was chained to Jiraiya.

"What the…**WHAT DID YOU DO**!?" He shouted, trying to pull himself free.

"I told you, you're not going anywhere…" Jiraiya said calmly, eating his 2nd and 3rd bowls of Raman at the same time.

"**THIS IS UNBELEIVABLE!! LET ME GO, YOU PERVY PSYCHO!**"

* * *

Kaliana slid around the corner and stopped. She spotted the boy at a fruit-stand with a girl; a blonde with her hair puffed out on both sides. Kaliana recognized her as well…she battled the girl almost everyday she was held in the Sand Village.

Temari stood in the market place, examining fruit and other goods. Kankuro stood to the outside of the fruit stand, his arms crossed as he surveyed the crowd. His eyes went wide and he grinned. He tapped his sister's shoulder.

"Hey, Temari. Look, there she is."

Temari gazed through the crowd and spotted Kaliana. She was looking directly at them. Kankuro sighed and leaned over a barrel, his hands under his chin, staring intently at Kaliana.

"Man, what a babe she turned out to be."

Kaliana began walking towards them very quickly. Temari noticed her approaching. She swiftly turned and smacked Kankuro in the back of the head, knocking him out of his daydream. She then grabbed him roughly by the arm of his cloak and whipped him around.

"Stupid! We're not supposed to let her see us, remember?"

Kankuro blushed. "Oops…Looks like it's too late…"

Kaliana stopped in front of them, panting. "Hey guys!…Remember me?" She pointed to Temari. "You…you kicked my ass…for about 3 years…" She stopped to laugh. "I think this…is the first time…you've ever seen me upright!" She looked at Kankuro and waved. "How's it goin' man?"

Kankuro grinned sheepishly and waved. "Hey, Kali…"

"**WHA-?!?!**" Temari snapped her head towards Kankuro; glaring with astonishment and fury. She gave him a violent shove. "**RUN, YOU BRAINLESS IDIOT! RUN!**"

To Kaliana's shock, they both dashed away. "What the f…-? Where the hell are they going?! HEY! WAIT!" She called, chasing after them.

Focusing the chakra into her legs, her speed increased. She had them in her sights now. Removing the bullwhip from her waist, she cocked it back and lashed out. It caught Kankuro by the ankle, tripping him.

"Gotcha!" Kaliana said with a big grin, pulling her whip back, trying to reel him in.

"Temari!" Kankuro cried to his sister.

Temari slid to a stop and turned. "Oh, no! Kankuro!"

She ran at them quickly, taking her fan in her hands and opening it. She jumped into the air and landed on the whip, yanking it from Kaliana's hands. With a single swipe of the massive fan, she released a huge gust of wind directly at Kaliana. Kali went flying high in the sky and disappeared, her scream fading with the distance. Kankuro let out a big sigh and got up, shaking the whip free from his foot.

"That was a close one."

"Too close! She recognizes us! We must tell Baki Sensei about this."

"Are you kidding?!" Kankuro yelled. "He'll murder us if he finds out we let her see us!"

"What's with this 'we' and 'us' stuff? _You're_ the one who let her see you, dumbass!"

"It was an accident! I figured with her bad memory she'd have forgotten about me after yesterday…"

"You let her see you yesterday, too?!?!"

"That one was before Baki Sensei told us to stay away from her! I talked with her a little…She was in the Boy's bathroom! It wasn't my fault!"

Temari cocked her head. "What the hell was she doing in the boy's bathroom?"

Kankuro shrugged.

Temari threw her hands up in the air with frustration. "**UGH**. I can't believe you let her see you…TWICE! **STUPID!**" She finished by whacking her brother in the back of the head with her fan repeatedly.

"C'mon, Temari! Don't tell on me! Please? I'm too young to die!" He whimpered, rubbing his head.

"Oh, stop whining! We don't have to tell him it was **your** fault…even though it was…we'll just say…uh, she happened to pass by and notice us…he won't be mad, I'm sure of it." She turned to her pleading brother and sighed. "I just hope Gaara doesn't run into her."

"Yeah…but what are the odds of that happening, huh?" Kankuro asked, getting to his feet.

He and his sister exchanged questionable glances, then bounded off in a great hurry.

* * *

Gaara came sulking from the hospital, gripping his head painfully. He wanted so bad to finish Lee off. He hated leaving his victims alive. The sheer thought of Lee's survival gnawed at him from the inside. Even killing the Sound Ninja, Dosu; who appeared to him last night and demanded a battle without provocation; didn't slake his bloodlust. He just wanted a taste, a lick of Lee's blood…he wanted his enemies' demise to be complete. But the hospital was well guarded, and Gai was there to watch over his precious student. It confused Gaara. Love…what did it mean? He had never felt it, received it, or given it. He loved only himself, and would protect only himself…

Gravity finally pulled Kaliana back down to earth, but at the speed she was going, it didn't stop her. She hit the ground, bounced, hit it again, bounced, and finally went sliding through the trees and bushes at the powerful speed that seemed never to slow…

She finally collided with something hard, and sent that flying as well, but only a few feet. Kaliana, finding herself looking up at the sky, slowly sat up, rubbing her head with both hands.

"Ugh…my ass…" She groaned. She checked herself over. Nothing was broken. She sighed in relief.

Another groan brought her attention to her left, where a boy lay across the ground. She gasped, struggled to her feet, and ran to his side.

"Oh, man! I'm so sorry! Are you okay? Boy, I really plowed into you, huh?"

She picked up the redheaded boy and proceeded to dust him off, front and back. Gaara had a mixture of feelings; he was angry that Lee was still alive and confused by the fact that he had been struck down from out of nowhere. In addition, he experienced a new, strange feeling he'd never had before; as this girl wasn't really paying attention to where she was putting her hands. He looked up at her curiously with his teal-colored, black-rimmed eyes. He recognized her instantly.

"Y…you…" He stammered.

Kaliana looked at his face. She squinted, pulling him close.

"Gaara?"

* * *

_The Sand Village was up in arms that night._

"_She's escaped!" The ninjas called as they scurried around the village, searching for their captive, whom they had held for 3 years. "Search everywhere!"_

_Gaara, 8 years old, watched in awe as everyone scattered in a frenzy. He didn't quite understand why his Village had kidnapped this Inuzuka girl from the Leaf Village as a favor for the Sound Village; and in exchange for one of their own orphans; a girl with black hair, who they had sent to the Cloud Village. But all this confusion seemed very important at the time. _

_Now, the Inuzuka girl had escaped from her prison, and the entire village was in an uproar. Gaara couldn't care less, really. His guardian had just tried to murder him some nights ago and he'd promised to never love or care again. Why should he care now? He stood there until everyone decided to search elsewhere, leaving him by himself with his thoughts. What was so special about this girl anyway? Why did the Kazekage make a deal with the Sound Village to kidnap her when she was 7 and hold her at his castle until she was 12…but then change his mind at the last minute? Why did he want Gaara to battle her tonight? What was the purpose for all of this? Was the slumbering demon dog within her really that special? So much so as to distract the entire village from his badger demon?_

"_We've checked the armory!" Gaara could here one of the many men shout. "She's taken the sword!"_

_Gaara tilted his head curiously. "Sword?"_

_10 men dashed by him, not one of them paying him any mind. It felt kind of nice to not be the center of attention for once. Gaara turned and started to walk away. He was suddenly clipped in the arm as someone rushed by him. He whirled and fell down on his face. The girl stopped and ran to his side, lifting him and dusting him off._

"_I'm sorry, kid! I didn't mean to get you! Are you okay?" She looked him over and smiled. "You look fine."_

_Gaara stared at her intently. "You're the one they're looking for…" She was wearing a long cloak with a hood over her Kunoichi uniform. He noticed the rusty sword hanging from her back. He remembered the name the men would shout whenever she did something wrong. "Kaliana." He repeated. _

"_Yeah, that's me!" She smiled. "You're Gaara aren't you? The one they wanted me to fight tonight." She giggled. "You're absolutely adorable!"_

_Gaara blushed at the compliment, but the sound of approaching guards disturbed the gentle moment and caused Kaliana to run and hide inside a barrel._

"_Please…" She begged before closing the lid. "Don't tell them where I am."_

"_But…I…"_

_The guards whipped around the corner, but stopped short when they saw Gaara._

"_It's him…" One of the whispered._

"_Gaara…" Another guard stepped forward, trying to be brave. "That girl, the one with silver hair…did you see her?"_

"_Yes." Gaara said coldly._

"_Which way did she go?" The man asked hopefully._

_Gaara looked towards the barrels, then back at the men. "That way." He pointed. "Past those barrels and into the middle of town."_

_The men looked at each other suspiciously. They turned back to Gaara. _

"_We just came from that way. We didn't see anything."_

_Gaara's eyes narrowed. "You calling me a liar?" He hissed the sand around him dancing to his anger._

"_N…n-no!" The head guard stammered nervously. "Don't just stand there, you idiots! Back towards town! NOW!"_

_The guards stumbled over each other in an attempt to get as far away from the demonic boy as possible; all headed past the barrels and back towards the center of the village. Gaara watched them leave intently. He walked over to the barrel Kaliana was in. He turned it on its side and proceeded to roll it away with the aid of his sand._

"_What's going on?" Kaliana called from inside._

"_Be quiet." Gaara ordered._

_He rolled her all the way to the outskirts of town. The top of the barrel popped open, and Kaliana crawled out, gasping for air, as it was filled with water; a detail she wasn't aware of when she decided to hide in it. She looked around at her surroundings. Gaara had taken her to the edge of the Toxic Swamp; a 15-acre plot of land that was completely fenced in with 12-foot fencing topped with barbed wire. Kaliana looked at Gaara with curiosity._

"_You want me to go in __there__?" She questioned._

"_No one will look for you in there." Gaara stated simply. "It's forbidden. You'll be safe." He turned towards the barrel and pulled out a piece of wet blue cloth that was jammed in a hole. He handed it to Kaliana._

"_Cover your face with this so you don't breath in too many toxins. You'll die if you don't wear it. You must always keep it wet."_

_Kaliana took the cloth and tied it around her nose and mouth. "Why are you doing this?" She asked._

_Gaara turned away. "I…I don't know…just go."_

_Kaliana walked over to him and took him in her arms. She hugged tightly. Gaara wasn't sure what to think of it. Was this…affection? He couldn't understand why his sand didn't stop her from touching him…perhaps he was the one who was stopping it from doing so…_

_Kaliana pulled away and looked into his eyes. _

"_I'll never forget you for helping me, Gaara." _

_The sound of a man echoed from behind them. He was approaching fast. Gaara quickly pulled some of the fencing from the bottom, revealing a small passageway just big enough for Kaliana and the sword to slip under. She looked at her friend once more from the other side, and left._

_Gaara watched her disappear into the venomous jungle, knowing it would probably be the last time he'd ever see her again. The man skidded to a stop before running into the fencing. It was Baki, and he did not seem pleased. He slowly brought his face down to the boy, who stood silently._

"_You…let…her…escape…" Baki hissed menacingly. __**"WHY DID YOU DO THAT!? DO YOU KNOW WHAT MISFOURTUNE YOU'VE BROUGHT TO US ALL?!"**_

_Gaara kept himself quiet. Truthfully, he didn't see what the big deal was. Why on earth was she so important?_

* * *

"I don't believe it!" Kaliana exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.

Gaara stood there, motionless. His sand once again did not protect him from her embrace. He had never been more confused in his life. His emotions were contradicting each other. Why, if he hated love, did he allow her to express such an emotion towards him? Why couldn't he stop her…and why didn't he want to stop her?

"You helped me escape…" She whispered. "Maybe now you can help me figure out what's going on?"

It suddenly hit him…he wasn't supposed to allow her to see him, let alone talk to him…it was against the orders his Sensei had given he and his siblings just this morning. What was he going to do now?

"Please…Let go…" He managed to speak. "I can't talk to you…"

"Why not?" Kaliana asked, pulling away. "You're the only one I know of who can help me…"

"You don't understand…" Gaara backed away slowly. "It was a mistake to help you the first time. I shouldn't have done it…"

"But, Gaara…" She slowly reached for him.

"No!" He pulled away, gripping his head as it throbbed painfully. "**Get away from me**!" His voice was becoming scratchy and deep, as though someone else was talking through him.

Kaliana could tell that something was wrong with him…something inside was forcing him to act this way. She picked up her left hand and removed the glove. She knelt near him.

"**I SAID GET AWAY FROM ME!**" He roared.

"**Look, no Sensei has ever been able to tell me what to do, and neither can you! Now hold still!**" Kaliana snapped, gripping the boy by his shoulder and turning him towards her.

Much to Gaara's surprise, she shoved her hand inside his body. She closed her eyes. She could see a badger demon...it was angry and wild, much like the untamed fox said to be caged within Naruto...it made her wonder why the so-called demon within her was so calm…she often wondered if it even existed.

Gaara sat completely still, not sure of what to make of this sudden invasion of his body. Kaliana focused on the demons' spirit. She stroked the angry spirit, soothing it and at the same time, offering it some of her White Chakra. After a few minutes, she removed her hand and replaced the glove over it. Gaara was shocked to find that the head pain was gone. He looked up at her, eyes full of questioning.

"What…what did you do?" He asked, rubbing his stomach, which still felt a little strange.

"That is one cantankerous demon in you, my friend. I gave it some White Chakra of mine and made it go to sleep for a while... at least for 3 days; 4 at the most. Man, that critter sure makes you cranky. The hound-demon in me has never acted like that before…not to my knowledge, anyway. You know; you, me and Naruto should start a club." She finished jokingly with a snide snicker.

Gaara didn't know how to respond. He was still in shock.

"Why…did you do that?" He managed to squeak out.

"It was hurting you! I couldn't just sit here and let it hurt you like that!"

"I…I don't understand…"

"Well, let me spell it out for you…" She grabbed his hand and put it on her shoulder. "Me, Kaliana! Kaliana friend." She put her hand on his shoulder. "You, Gaara! Gaara friend…get it?"

"…Friend?" The concept was lost on him.

"Boy, you don't get out much, do you? A friend is someone…" She paused to search for an example. "…Precious to you." She finished.

"…Precious?" Yet another concept he didn't quite grasp.

Kaliana was beginning to become exhausted with explaining things to him. "Boy, I'd hate to be there when they try to explain to you where babies come from…"

Gaara slowly pulled his hand from Kaliana's shoulder. "I'm…precious to you?"

"Well, of course you are!" She exclaimed happily, putting her arm around his shoulder. "Hell, if it hadn't been for you, I'd still be in that festering stink-hole being beaten by those damn Sand ninjas all day...no offense."

"No…" Gaara said, keeping his head down and his eyes averted. "No, they were…planning on moving you that night…"

Kaliana leaned forward eagerly. "Really? Where?"

"The Kazekage…he decided not to give you up… he decided that you were worth more to us then…_to_ _them_…"

"Who?" Kaliana pressed. "Who else was involved?"

Suddenly, Kaliana found herself wrapped in puppet-strings and being yanked away into the bushes. Gaara snapped his head up in surprised. Kankuro and Temari dropped from the trees, grabbing Gaara by each of his arms before bounding back into the branches and leaving in a great hurry.

"You IDIOT!" Kankuro roared at his little brother. "Do you even realize what you were about to do!?"

"Stop it, Kankuro! Don't upset him! Let's just get him out of here while he's still in this weird trance!" Temari ordered.

Gaara simply watched as the spot where he had reunited with his friend disappeared from view.

* * *

Kaliana, meanwhile, was yanked all the way back, a good 500 feet, into the arms of Kankuro's puppet. Upon stopping, the puppet disappeared in a puff of smoke, being replaced by a huge, rubber spider. Kaliana squealed and kicked, frantically trying to free herself. The trauma caused her to combust, immediately singeing the strings. Once she was free, she leapt up and ran away, the thought of a giant spider; rubber or otherwise; was too much for her to bear.

* * *

Back in the forest, as the Sand Ninja continued their journey back to town, Temari turned to her brothers.

"New plan…we don't tell Baki Sensei about ANY of this, got it?"

"Got it!" Kankuro agreed in relief.

**End of Chapter 14**

* * *

**_CH. 15 "Forever a Distraction…"_**

-------------------------------------------------

The black flame floated through the sky. It had been traveling all night, and was now hovering over the village of Konoha. It slowed itself down upon noticing the townspeople below. It seemed to be searching for something…or someone…

* * *

Kaliana stumbled into her uncle's apartment, tripping over the rug and landing at Sasuke's feet. He looked down, smirking.

"Back from training already? Where's Naruto? Accidentally set him on fire?"

In a daze, Kaliana looked up at him. "Wha-?" She looked back at the door, then up at Sasuke. "What're you doing in here?"

"Waiting for your uncle to wake up."

Kaliana got up and looked at the clock. It read 12:30 p.m. She returned her gaze to Sasuke. "I thought I told you to wait outside! How'd you get in, you little cockroach?"

Sasuke pulled the keys from his pocket and tossed them at her. She growled under her breath and stomped into her room. "Where the hell is my mask!" He heard her shout in an annoyed voice.

Sasuke looked down and noticed it on the floor. He got up and snatched it. He walked into her room and tapped the door, even though he was already inside. She turned to him and roughly pulled it from his hand. She tied it tightly around her face, while Sasuke merely watched.

"Why are you in my room?" She asked, agitated.

With a grunt, Sasuke went to back out. He stepped on the pen that was on the floor. It caused him to slide forward. He slammed into Kaliana, knocking her backward onto her bed, Sasuke landing conveniently on top of her…creating the perfect time for Kakashi to walk in. He stood in the doorway, staring for several grueling seconds before speaking.

"Kaliana…I need to speak with you in the living room. Oh, and, uh…please don't let Sasuke get past second base, because I really need him to stay in top condition for training." He turned away, turned back at them, sighed and left, shaking his head disapprovingly.

Kaliana growled, glaring at Sasuke, who seemed to be enjoying his perch.

"No time for sex now, babe." He smirked. "Daddy has to go to work."

"**GET OFFA ME!**" She roared, shoving him off. He landed with a thud on the floor.

She stood up and went to take a step forward…only to slip on the same pen and fall on top of Sasuke.

* * *

Kakashi sat on the couch waiting for his niece and student to emerge from her room. Sasuke came out first, stretching. He seemed relaxed. Kakashi glared at him, leaning back against the cushions.

"Enjoying my niece?" He asked rhetorically.

"Oh, yeah!" Sasuke teased. "She just can't keep her hands off me."

Kaliana brought her hand firmly across the top of his head.

"Get the hell outta my way!" She finished by shoving him forward, causing him to fall against the arm of the couch.

Kakashi grabbed him by his collar and flung him towards the door. Sasuke hit it with pretty decent force, making it fly open. He stumbled out and fell on his face on the hard ground. Kaliana rushed over and slammed the door shut. Brushing her hands off with a satisfied grin, she turned to her uncle.

"You know, we didn't do anything…"

"I know." Kakashi interrupted. "I've been up for a little while."

Kaliana sat next to him on the couch. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes, actually." Kakashi leaned forward, his hands gripping each other. He rested his chin on them. "About last night…"

He turned to her, only to find her nose buried in the novel "Make-Out Paradise".

"What the hell are you reading!?" He snapped, reaching for the book. "Give me that back!"

Kaliana pulled it away just as his was about to grip his fingers around it.

"It's my book!" Kaliana countered. "You have your own."

Kakashi tapped his pocket. Sure enough, his book was there. He turned back to her.

"You shouldn't be reading stuff like that!"

"What were you reading at my age?" She inquired, closing the book slightly.

Kakashi glared at her, snatching the book and throwing on the other side of the couch.

"That's not the point…just listen! I'm trying to tell you something."

Kaliana sighed and turned her full attention to her uncle, who seemed serious about this conversation. Knowing he now had her attention, Kakashi continued before she lost concentration again.

"About last night, Kaliana…I think we both overreacted…" He paused to take a breath. "I'm sorry I blew up at you like that…I guess when you really think about it…I did kind of abandon you…"

Kaliana lowered her eyes. She felt it was time to tell him the truth.

"Uncle Kakashi…I have something to say, too…"

"Please, let me finish." He insisted. "I should have tried to figure something out…I should have sent you someplace closer…"

"Uncle Kakashi…"

"But that's in the past…what I should have done and what I did can't be reversed. But we can make things right for the future…"

"Uncle Kakashi…"

"By forgiving each other…"

Kaliana snapped her head up. "Forgiving…each other?" She wasn't sure she heard him correctly.

"Yes." Kakashi nodded. "Do you forgive me? Do you forgive me for sending you away?"

"Well…yeah, of course I do."

"And I forgive you." Kakashi concluded.

"…for what?"

"For what?" Kakashi laughed. "Let's see…for never returning any of my calls, or answering my letters…oh, and for telling the office personnel that I'm not your Uncle and hanging up on me on your 8th birthday after I planned a big surprise party for you."

Kaliana's jaw dropped, her eyes bulged, and her heart stopped beating for a moment. Kakashi noticed her stupefied expression.

"Don't look at me like that." He said, getting to his feet. "I've forgiven you, and when the Chunin exams are over, I'll un-register you from that school."

Kaliana didn't say a word. She was utterly speechless, and her ghostly-white face expressed that perfectly. Kakashi leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry too much about this, Kaliana…oh, there was something you wanted to tell me?"

Kaliana was still in severe shock, her communication skills temporarily retarded. "A...anyumunim..." She dribbled out.

Kakashi glared at her and huffed. "You know, I hope **your **future kids make jokes when YOU'RE trying to be serious…see you in a little over a week."

That said, Kakashi turned and walked out the door. Kaliana kept her rigid seat for hours, her mind racing.

_He…wrote? He called? To who? I wasn't even there! Somebody was there answering for me…being me…_

Kaliana pulled herself up and ran to her uncle's private desk. She opened the drawers and dumped them on the floor. She frantically tore through the papers. She found stacks and stacks of envelopes from the Kunoichi Academy; report cards, newsletters, notes from the teachers, bills…one such for a stolen sickle and chain.

Kaliana sat on her bottom, her breathing labored and her hands gripping her head tightly.

_Someone stole my identity! When they kidnapped me, they put a freakin' decoy in my place! They were mean to my Uncle Kakashi and that's why is being so cold to me! Why? Why?_

"Why?" She whispered out loud at the realization that this whole ordeal was bigger then she anticipated and suspected. Her eyes suddenly bulged at a new thought. "That girl…" She said out loud.

* * *

"_Are you leaving, Kaliana?"…"Wait…You…don't know me?"…"I…I mistook you for another Kaliana who attended with me!"…_ _"I don't know you or anything about you!"_

* * *

"That lying little black-haired bitch from the Cloud Village! It's her…it has to be her!" Her face crunched up to form a snarling frown. "I knew it! She DID have something to do with the kidnapping! While I was being held captive at the Sand Village; she was parading around that Academy as ME!"

She jumped up and snatched the telephone. She dialed a number and waited. A voice answered; it was Shikamaru.

"I need to come over to your house…" She said in a rough voice. "You were right, Shika. This really is serious. Something is very wrong…and I think I've figured most of it out…"

* * *

Gai leaned against a wall, finishing the last sip of tea in his Styrofoam cup. He caught a quick glimpse of Kakashi walking towards the woods.

"Kakashi!" He called, waving his arm.

Kakashi stopped and turned. Gai ran towards him eagerly. "Kakashi…did you find Kaliana?"

"Well, yeah…She's back at home." Kakashi eyed his friend and rival for a moment, curious about his strange behavior.

It was then that Gai noticed Sasuke. "Where are you two going?"

"Where do you think? We're going to train, of course. The Chunin Exams are 9 days away." Kakashi informed.

"So…you're leaving Kaliana alone then?" Gai asked nervously. "Can't you take her with you or something?"

"I agree with Gai." Sasuke chimed in. "We should definitely bring Kaliana with us."

Kakashi leered down at his student. "Sasuke…grown-ups are talking. Go on ahead; I'll catch up."

Sasuke groaned and trudged away. Once he was gone, Kakashi turned to Gai, a puzzled look in his eye.

"What's with you all of a sudden? Why are you acting so protective over Kaliana?"

Gai rolled his eyes. "C'mon Kakashi! Don't tell me you didn't notice it! It was kind of apparent, wasn't it?!"

Kakashi looked around suspiciously and leaned closer towards Gai. "You noticed something strange, too, huh?"

"Well, how could you NOT notice it?" Gai exclaimed. "Where do you think she got it?"

"She may have picked it up from the school somehow." Kakashi shrugged.

"That's what she told me." Gai agreed. "Did you see her use it in battle yet?"

"Yes…she was battling Sasuke. He attacked her with his Fireball Jutsu."

"Did she use it to deflect the fireball?" Gai asked eagerly.

"Gai, she used it to absorb his chakra." Kakashi stressed.

"Really?" Gai gasped. "Wow…"

"I'm stumped." Kakashi sighed. "I really am. I mean…where could she have gotten these abilities?"

Sasuke poked his head out from the forest. "Kakashi Sensei, are we going or not?" He called irritably.

"Yeah!" Kakashi called back. He turned back to Gai. "What am I going to do? Something strange is going on with my niece JUST at the time I have to leave for 9 days!"

"Calm down, Kakashi…if it makes you feel better, I'll watch her while you're gone. I'll try to get her to talk to me and tell me more about the…you know."

Kakashi sighed in relief. "Are…you sure you want to do that? I mean…you have to train Neji, don't you?"

Gai shrugged. "How much of a distraction can she be?"

Kakashi attempted to object to the idea, but Sasuke's impatient calling caused him to withdraw the objection. He bumped Gai's shoulder with his fist in a friendly manner. "Thanks, Gai. I owe you one."

"Not a problem." Gai smiled. "I'm just as curious about that thing as you are."

Gai and Kakashi exchanged a serious glance. After a moment, Kakashi turned around and walked away.

Gai started down the road towards Kakashi's apartment. _Don't worry, Kakashi. I'll find out as much about that sword as I can!_

* * *

As they continued onward, Sasuke looked up at his Sensei, who seemed distracted.

"So…what were you 'grown-ups' talking about back there?"

Kakashi glared down and scoffed. "Grown up things. You wouldn't understand."

Sasuke grumbled and dropped back, watching as Kakashi took several steps ahead.

"Leaving her with Gai is only going to distract his team from their training."

Kakashi stopped and closed his eyes. Sasuke's comment immediately brought Obito Uchiha's words into his head.

_"Mark my words, Kakashi…that niece of yours will now a forever be a distraction on you…and everyone around you…"_

The Jounin shuddered at the memory. "Gai is only going to find out more about Kaliana's White Chakra. That's all. She won't be a distraction on his team…I'm sure she won't…"

* * *

Kaliana pulled the sword our from under her bed, pausing to wipe the sweat from her brow.

"_I sense a great deal of confusion, Kaliana…much more then usual…tell me, what has happened?"_

"I've figured it out, Hizoku. Why I was in the Sand Village, why my uncle has been acting so cold…I know what's going on…well, most of it anyway…where I've been for the past three years is still a mystery...for now, anyway." She said in a serious tone, swinging the massive sword onto her back. "We're gonna see my friend, Shikamaru again. I'll explain everything there. Until then…just read my mind…"

That said, Kaliana opened her window and leapt out. She bounded away with a heavy mind.

* * *

A few moments later, Gai knocked at the front door, knowing from experience that the doorbell was taboo. There was no response. He tried peering through the window.

"Kaliana?" He called questionably.

There was no answer, the lights were off with the exception of one bulb in her room, and the door was locked. With an irritated grunt, Gai pulled away from the living room window and looked at Kaliana's open bedroom window, the curtain flying in and out of the house. Gai shook his head and walked away.

"Damn…she's gone. Where could she be?"

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**_End of Chapter 15/ End of ACT V_**


	6. ACT VI Don't Ask Don't Tell

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction**_

_**ACT VI: Don't Ask; Don't Tell**_

_**CH. 16: "Kali's Not-so-Excellent Adventure"**_

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There she is!" Yoshino Nara greeted Kaliana at the door with open arms.

"Hi, Mrs. Nara." Kaliana said respectfully.

"Don't you 'Hi Mrs. Nara' me, young lady! Come here!" She threw her arms around Kaliana and hugged tightly, but withdrew after only a few seconds. She looked at the young girl with worry on her face. "Kali, you're thin…you're not eating…what's wrong?"

Kaliana laughed and shook her head. "No, I'm eating…really…I actually had a big breakfast today…"

"You're so thin, honey! You're nothing but skin and bones! Come in, we'll make you some venison sandwiches, we have plenty."

With a weary sigh, Kaliana entered the house. She was immediately offered an array of different foods 'just to taste'. Yoshino was always bombarding Kaliana with food, ever since she and Shikamaru first became friends. Kaliana was too polite to turn anything down…besides that, Yoshino could be quite scary when she didn't get her way.

After Kaliana had choked down venison and onion sandwiches, some venison casserole, venison stew and venison gravy, she wearily dragged herself to the dining room and sat down, trying her hardest not to throw up. It's not that the food was gross; it was quite tasty. Problem was…Kaliana just really wasn't hungry. She was still full from her breakfast with Naruto.

_Oh no! Naruto! _She thought to herself with embarrassment. _I left him at the Raman Shop with that big, hairy man! Ooh...sorry little buddy!_

Shikaku Nara suddenly entered, surprised and pleased to see his sons' best friend after so long.

"Well, hey you!" He slurred. "Big how look you got!"

Kaliana raised an eyebrow. "Did yes I." She answered sarcastically.

Shikaku laughed heartily and sat down across from her. "Little smartass…"

He looked over to make sure his wife was still in the kitchen, then he pulled out a bottle of sake that he was hiding under the table.

"Hey, Kaliana…you 18 yet?" He asked as he poured some of the wine into a shot glass.

"No, Mr. Nara, not yet." Kaliana groaned, rolling her eyes. "Here's the weird thing…I'm not 21 either. Why? Are you trying to offer me a drink?"

"Kaliana!" Yoshino's voice called from the kitchen. "Are you thirsty? You want something to drink? You ever try deer-milk? It outta put some weight on you!"

Kaliana cringed at the thought. Shikaku grinned and took this opportunity to slide a full glass of sake to the adolescent in front of him. Kaliana was surprised by it as first, but after careful consideration, she decided she'd rather taste the wine then a Bambi milkshake. Slowly, she reached for the glass, pulled down her mask and gulped down the forbidden beverage. She quietly pushed the glass back to Shikaku.

"No thanks, Mrs. Nara! I'm not thirsty right now!" She called, licking her lips.

"Kaliana." Shikamaru's voice called from behind as his mother entered the dining room.

Kali quickly snapped her head up and smiled beneath her mask.

"Hey…I'll be there in a minute."

She got up from the table, bowed respectfully to Shikaku and Yoshino, then rushed up to meet her friend.

"You getting drunk with my dad, Kali?" He questioned jokingly.

"Yes…wait, NO! Ugh…come here!"

Kaliana huddled near his side. She whispered something in his ear, causing his parents extreme curiosity; especially upon seeing their son's reaction to the mysterious secret.

"Mom, we're gonna go in my room for a while." Shikamaru said hastily before he and Kali disappeared from the kitchen.

Shikaku watched them leave, smiling stupidly.

"Our son is pretty damn lucky. I wish I had a friend that looked like **THAT** when I was his age."

"Oh, what do you mean? She's like a big sister to him! It's not like they're gonna…" Yoshino stopped short, a look of worry in her eyes. "Kaliana…did grow up, didn't she?"

Shikaku simply grinned and sipped some sake from his shot glass. With a concerned screech in her voice, Yoshino shouted towards Shikamaru's bedroom.

"**Shikamaru! You leave that door open!"**

* * *

With a flustered groan, Shikamaru left the door cracked slightly. He turned to Kaliana, who sat on his bed, her head down. He took a seat a cross from her at his desk.

"A demon?" He asked, leaning forward. "Since when do you have a demon in you?"

"Remember how I told you I was kidnapped?" She began.

"I remember…and I STILL don't know anything about that either." He emphasized; feeling her previous explanation was a bit vague. "Why don't we start from the beginning? Tell me what happened the day Kakashi sent you away."

"Okay…" She nodded, closing her eyes. "Here's what happened…"

* * *

**_FLASHBACK: 9 Years Ago_**

_Kaliana opened her eyes slowly. Upon reviving, she could immediately feel the change in temperature around her. It was very hot and dry. She was forced to close her eyes immediately as the breeze blew sand in her face. She rubbed away the excess dirt and opened her eyes again, this time more cautiously. There were very few trees; most of the landscape around her was nothing but rolling sand dunes. It was clear that this was not the Leaf Village, and certainly not the Cloud Village. She was deep in the Hidden Sand Village, being dragged by her arm across the hot sand and towards a large castle in the distance. As they neared the palace, she was pulled to her feet and was forced to walk with the group towards the eerie ruined building. The villagers they passed eyed her suspiciously. Some pointed and whispered among themselves._

_What's going on? __The 7-year-old wondered to herself. __Why am I here?_

_They stopped in front of the castle. A man with half of his face covered by a piece of cloth appeared at the door. He looked down at Kaliana, his face emotionless. He then looked up at the tall figures around her. He nodded at them._

_"I'll take it from here."_

_With that, the hooded strangers disappeared in a blast of sand. Kaliana was now alone with the stone-faced man, who stared down at her intently. He opened the door wider and motioned for her to come in. She stood her ground, confused, but defiant._

_"Enter." He ordered simply._

_Kaliana took a step back. "No."_

_The man's stare intensified._

_"You dare refuse my orders?" He asked, a growl in his throat. "I said ENTER."_

_"No." She repeated, taking another step away. "I want to go home."_

_Without another word, the man lashed out, grabbing Kaliana by her hair and yanking her into the building, closing the door tightly behind her. He threw her forward. She stumbled and landed a few feet in front of him on the hard stone ground. He locked the door and walked passed her, beginning down the long hallway._

_"Follow me." He ordered without turning around to face her._

_Kaliana turned towards the door. It was locked; completely bolted shut. She looked back down at the man as he continued down the dark passageway. It was apparent that she wouldn't be escaping through this end of the castle. Reluctantly, she followed the man down the hall._

_The hall seemed to go on forever…miles even. But after a very long while of walking, they finally came to a very large doorway. Kaliana looked up at it, dwarfed by its size. It wasn't very well cared for; it was cracked, covered with cobwebs and dust and whatever decorations or flags hanging from the top were tattered and torn; beaten by the sands of time. Kaliana crunched up her face at the sight of it._

_Nobody's lived here for a long time…why would they bring me to a place like this?_

_The man noticed the question in her eyes. He smiled to himself; he seemed to be very pleased with her confusion and fear. He grabbed the gigantic handle attached to the even more monstrous door. Peering from the corner of his eye, he uttered a warning._

_"You, young lady, are about to meet the Kazekage. Be on your best behavior…or else…understand?"_

_"Not really…the whole 'or else' part was left a little vague…"_

_The man whipped his arm about sharply, cracking her in the neck with great force and sending her smashing into the ancient stone walls. She collapsed onto the unforgiving cold ground. With a groan, she slowly got up, wiping some blood from where her head met the wall._

_"My, my…aren't you strong?" He commented, impressed. "We were told that you're a whiz at chakra manipulation, and I could see that by the barrier you've just put around your body to brace yourself for my attack. Impressive indeed, Little Hound."_

_"Little Hound…" Kaliana repeated. "Why does everyone keep calling me that?"_

* * *

Kaliana reached over and stroked the blade of the sword.

"I know what he meant now…" She whispered. "Don't we, Hizoku?"

Shikamaru watched in complete shock as the sword actually gave off a bright iridescent blue light; the butt of the blade clanging ever so gently as though the handle was slightly loose; and, it even began humming a sad tune.

"Whoa…can you understand what that thing is saying?"

"Yup." Kaliana sighed. "The trick is getting it to shut the hell up."

_"Oh, the array of crude responses I could give if only I had the male reproductive organ…"_

Hizoku's suggestive comment went ignored as a loud cracking noise pierced the quiet of the room. The shinobi looked around curiously. Shikamaru eyed the bed.

"How much does that sword weigh?"

Kaliana shrugged. "I dunno…about 20…30 pounds?"

_"I weigh 600 pounds."_ Hizoku informed.

"600 pounds? Are you serious?" Kaliana exclaimed. "Wow, you hold your weight well."

_"No, you just involuntarily focus a huge amount of chakra in your arm and back to carry me."_

"Hey, Kaliana…" Shikamaru quipped. "Sorry to interrupt the two of you…but did you just say that thing weighs 600 pounds?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Her question was answered quickly when Shikamaru's bed suddenly snapped in half, dumping Kaliana and her sword in the middle of the room with a very loud thud.

"Because the maximum weight limit for my bed is 400 pounds…" Shika answered with a very exasperated sigh.

The loud bumping noises coming from the bedroom caused a very worried Yoshino to screech a warning that the entire NEIGHBORHOOD could hear.

"**WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU TWO ****DOING**** UP THERE?! SHIKAMARU, DID YOU LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN LIKE I ASKED YOU TO? YOU HAD BETTER ****OR SO HELP ME****…"**

Needless to say, Yoshino's accusation completely blew the serious nature right out of the room, leaving behind 2 very embarrassed shinobi.

"Wow…" Shikamaru moaned, his hands over his face to hide his burning cheeks.

"Yeah…" Kaliana agreed, completely disturbed by the unclean image Shikamaru's mother just burned into their imaginations. "Coulda done without that…"

* * *

The black flame circled above Kakashi's apartment several times before entering Kaliana's bedroom through the open window. It hovered in the room for a moment before drifting around, searching. It dodged suddenly as Kuriochi crept up from behind and attempted to pounce on it. The little insectivore tried to catch the flickering black flame again, only to miss as the waving ember floated just out of reach. It swam through the air and entered a light bulb, turning the bright yellow glow a deep purple color.

"Kuri?" Kuriochi tilted his head curiously.

Suddenly, the bulb shook and exploded, causing glass to scatter everywhere. Kuriochi, surprised and frightened, scurried under the bed. The flame was larger now, and floated out of the room and into the living room. From there, it wandered into Kakashi's bedroom. There were no other lights on in the house. The flame slowly drifted back into Kaliana's room and melted itself into her mirror. There, it waited patiently.

**End of Chapter 16**

* * *

**_CH. 17 "Kali's Not-so-Excellent Adventure Cont'd"_**

-----------------------------------

Shikamaru and Kaliana entered the barn in the back of the Nara property. Several deer were housed in the stalls, most of them being does with fawns. Kaliana crawled onto a haystack and leaned against one of the stalls.

"I wouldn't sit near that stall if I were you…" Shikamaru warned.

"Why?" Kaliana's question was quickly answered when the cage-style door she was leaning against suddenly clanged loudly, causing her to bounce forward. She also found herself surrounded by pointy antlers that permeated through the cage holes.

She quickly leapt off the haystack and whipped around. Inside the stall was a large stag with enormous antlers. He struggled to pull the dangerous weapons free from the cage and snorted, keeping his head low and pawing at the stall floor furiously.

_"You never listen, do you?"_ Hizoku asked, once again going ignored.

"That's why." Shikamaru grinned, forking some fresh hay in the stall with the raging stag. "His name is Kaoru. He's very cranky because rutting season is just about over. We'll keep him in here until he sheds his antlers. If he does it outside, we may not be able to find them, and he's got a great rack. It'd be a shame to lose them. Besides, we're going in the hayloft."

Shikamaru started up a ladder that led to the second floor in the massive two-story barn. Kaliana followed closely. They took a seat in the hay. Shikamaru leaned back, arms folded behind his head.

"Alright…back to the story."

Kaliana opened her mouth, but was quickly cut off as Shikamaru asked a question that was seemingly off-topic.

"Why aren't you wearing shoes?" He asked, noticing his friend's bare feet.

Kaliana lifted her leg, and in an instant, blue flames danced from the bottom of her foot.

"That's why." She smiled.

Shikamaru sat up, eyes wide. "JEEZ! Don't do that in here! We're in a hayloft! You'll set the whole barn on fire!"

"No I won't." Kaliana set her foot back down, the flames disappearing. "Trust me."

"How did you do that?" Shikamaru asked in wonder.

"Well, if you'd let me finish the story…"

"I'm sorry." Shikamaru leaned back again, closing his eyes.

* * *

_The man grinned at the girls' question._

_"All in good time."_

_The massive door opened, and the man walked into the room. Kaliana hesitated, then cautiously followed. The room was filled with Sensei's and their students, all of them watching her. Among them were a boy and a girl about her age, maybe a little younger, a man with a kind face, and a little boy with red hair standing next to him. In the center was a man dressed in a blue and white robe; a Kage hat topped his head like a crown. He grinned and nodded to the man who had accompanied her._

_"Excellent, Baki. Now take the orphan, and complete the trade."_

_The man they called Baki bowed and turned to a dark corner, where a small, meek figure stood amongst the shadows, fiddling with their fingers. The little child immediately ran to Baki's side. Kaliana could tell that it was a girl her age, with long black hair. The two started at each other as Baki passed with the girl the Kazekage referred to as the orphan. They stepped out of the room, the door quickly slamming shut behind them._

* * *

Kaliana lifted her head, mouth slightly agape.

"Good Lord, I never made the connection until now…it was her…"

Shikamaru lifted his head. "Who?"

"Nothing…I'll get to that in a minute…anyway…"

* * *

_"So, Kaliana…" The Kazekage grinned. "I've heard much about you. What a pleasure it is to finally meet you. I bet you have some questions, yes?"_

_"Duh!" Kaliana snapped. "First of all, why am I here? What do you want with me? Are you some kind of pedophile? 'Cause I saw this Dateline special…"_

_The Kazekage threw his head back and laughed. Several chuckles could be heard from among the crowd._

_"I have no interest in molesting you, you silly girl!" The Kazekage wiped a tear from his eye. "I had you brought here to train you."_

_"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Kaliana shook her finger. "Don't give me that! You said something about a trade…with that orphan girl that just left. There's something more to this then you're telling me. You're working for someone, aren't you?"_

_Many whispers came up from the group of people around her. The Kazekage grinned._

_"Well, aren't you an observant little one? That will get you into a lot of trouble here…mind your wandering eye, Little Hound."_

_"What's your purpose for bringing me here? What do you want from me?" Kaliana pressed. "AND WHY THE HELL DOES EVERYBODY KEEP CALLING ME A DOG?!?!?!"_

_The Kazekage laughed. "You are here because you are gifted." He answered simply. "Now, let me ask you something…how do you feel? Do you feel… stronger since you arrived?"_

_Kaliana looked away. Yes, she had felt more powerful in this strange castle. Her chakra levels had increased twice over. The Kazekage snickered._

_"You have."_

_She looked back up at the Kazekage._

_"Why?"_

_"That's enough questions for tonight…poor girl, you must be exhausted after such a long night of travel."_

_"It's difficult to become exhausted when you've been dragged most of the way…" Kaliana growled._

_The Kazekage turned to the kind-looking man with the little boy._

_"Take her to her room. Make her comfortable."_

_"Yes, sir." The man bowed his head. He turned to Kaliana and smiled. "Come with me, now. Okay?" His voice was calm and gentle. He held what appeared to be a potato sack in his hands._

_Kaliana nodded. "Alright." He took her out of the room through another doorway, which led to a winding staircase._

_As they ascended, they were met halfway by another man. "I'll take it from here." His voice was harsh, and it made Kaliana nervous._

_The kind man stepped in front of her protectively. "The Kazekage requested that I take her to her room."_

_"Well, I'm here to relieve you of that duty! Now, step aside!" The man roughly pushed the nice man out of the way and snatched Kaliana by the arm, along with the sack the nice man was holding. With a harsh yank, she found herself once again being dragged roughly, this time, up the cold, stone stairs._

_After a while, they came to a solid rock door, which the man kicked open. He dragged her into the dark, leaky room towards a corner, where he attached a chain and shackles to her ankles. Once she was secured, he tossed the sack down on her lap. "Put that on and leave your clothes folded by the door." That said, he turned to leave. He grabbed the door just before exiting and turned slightly._

_"Tomorrow, your training begins." That said, he slammed the door shut, a clear click from the outside confirmed that he'd locked it._

_Kaliana tried to pull herself free, but the shackles were tightly bolted to the rock. A tiny window in the far corner of her cell allowed some moonlight to filter in. Frightened and alone, Kaliana pulled her knees up to her face and wept._

* * *

"Everyday after that, they brought me to a secured arena and forced me to battle this Sand ninja chick. I didn't know what they wanted from me…and I never won any of the battles. They just…beat me everyday."

"Good Lord…how long did they keep you there?" Shikamaru asked, sitting up in his seat with anticipation.

"3 years…three long years. They would've kept me longer if…"

"If what?"

Kaliana looked up at Shikamaru and continued on.

* * *

_After another day of failure, 10 year-old Kaliana was being dragged once again by the arm to her dirty little cell, her slave-clothes tattered and stained. The man, wearing a hooded cloak, peered at her from the corner of his eye and grinned. Suddenly, another man came running up the stairway, and stopped a few feet from them. Kaliana noticed a bundle of familiar looking cloth under his arm._

_"New orders from the Kazekage…he wants her to battle…HIM."_

_"Who?" The hooded man inquired._

_The second man grinned. "Who do you think?"_

_The cloaked man laughed. "HA! I thought he wanted to keep this little wench alive…One round with him and Lord Kazekage could say goodbye to his precious Little Hound…"_

_Kaliana growled at the nickname. All these years and she still had no clue why they called her that._

_"He knows what he's doing." The second man winked before tossing his comrade the cloth. "She's going to need these too."_

_Kaliana's eyes widened at the outfit. No way! That's my old Kunoichi uniform! Why do they still have it? And why am I going to need it?_

_The hooded man snickered and looked down at the captive as the second man disappeared down the stairway. "Aren't you lucky? You get to fight Gaara." He laughed wickedly. "I doubt you'll survive. He's cold and heartless, and will crush you without a second thought…"_

_Gaara? That little redhead kid? He's really THAT strong? She thought to herself._

_Kaliana glared at the man, her eyes burning. "Someday, I'm going to crush you without a second thought…"_

_The man stopped and whipped about, snatching Kaliana's face and pulling it close to his. "Is that a threat?" He hissed._

_Kaliana smiled. "No…" She began focusing all her chakra into her forehead. "It's a promise."_

_She head-butted him in the nose, making it bleed. His grip on her arm loosened. She quickly transferred the chakra into her left arm and swung it hard against his neck. She finished by bringing her leg up and cracking him in the face with her foot. The force sent him flying backwards into one of the torches that lit the way up the dark staircase. The torch he landed against bent back, like a lever. To Kaliana's surprise, a secret doorway opened to her side. She peered into the dark, unknown tunnel. The man she'd beaten was beginning to stir. She walked over to him and kicked him in the face again._

_"You won't be needing this." She snatched his cloak. She looked down at the kunoichi uniform and grabbed it, too. She hated it, but she didn't plan on staying in her slave rags either._

_She quickly dove inside the passageway and disappeared into the darkness. After tossing off her rags, dressing in her old uniform, and exploring the dark hall for a while, the ground beneath her suddenly gave way, causing her to fall through the floor and land in a basement. Luckily, no one seemed to be in this abandoned room. To Kaliana's surprise, it wasn't just an ordinary room; it was an armory. Many old weapons lay spewed across the ground. She eyed each of the ancient tools of war; most of them were so rusted, they were falling apart._

_She then noticed a light at the end of the room. Hoping it would lead outside, she walked towards it. The room itself was dark, so it's understandable that along the way, she tripped over something and fell. She felt blindly along the ground with her fingertips, searching for whatever obstruction that caught her foot and caused her to lose her balance. Her hand brushed against something cold and rusty. She wrapped her fingers around it and picked it up off the ground. It was sort of heavy, and it clanged against the stone ground as she lifted it. She could tell by its awkward weight that it was a sword. Knowing she may need it, she brought it with her and continued towards the light. The light was, indeed coming from outside; a hole in the wall of the basement mostly covered with sand. She quickly dropped to her knees and proceeded to dig the sand away._

_She stopped when she heard distant voices coming from behind her._

_"Down there! In the armory! Search down there!"_

_She wrapped herself in the cloak and quickened her digging pace until finally, the hole was big enough for her to slip out of. She pulled the sword with her. In the bright moonlight, she could see the sword was old, and it looked very strange. There was an even rustier hay-sickle fused to it. She tried to shake the odd obstruction free, but to no avail. It was welded to the blade. Rolling her eyes, she placed the hood over her head and ran away from the castle. She went to turn a corner and hide in an alley, but Baki was there with some of the Sand ninjas, no doubt searching for her. She pressed herself against the wall of the castle, the dark cloak helping her to blend in. She could hear them talking._

_"Lord Kazekage wants that girl alive, do you understand?" Baki ordered. "Now go and find her!"_

_"Yes, sir!" The men turned and left, scattering in every direction._

_Kaliana crept by quickly, diving across the opening of the alley and hiding behind another wall. Baki, naturally suspicious, felt her presence, and proceeded to where she was hiding. He looked over the castle walls, but found nothing but an old trashcan. Slowly, he reached for the lid._

_"She's taken the sword!" A voice rang out. Baki gave an annoyed grunt and rushed away._

_Kaliana peeked from beneath the lid, and hopped out of the trashcan. She rounded the corner of the monstrous building, and crashed into something…_

* * *

"They were going to make you battle GAARA?" Shikamaru gasped in disbelief. "He woulda KILLED you!"

"No…he wouldn't of hurt me." She stopped and smiled at the thought.

"Why would you say that?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

Kaliana smiled to herself and blushed slightly. "Because he's the one who helped me escape…"

* * *

**Later that Night…**

Gaara sat on the roof of the building he, his Sensei and his siblings were briefly occupying. He was sleepy that night, as the White Chakra Kaliana had given him was working beautifully; not once had the Shukaku awoken to disturb him. He leaned back, staring intently at the moon. He recalled the first time he'd set eyes on Kaliana, and the wicked plans his people had for her…

* * *

_5-year-old Gaara watched as his guardian led the silver-haired girl away up the winding staircase. He didn't understand what they wanted with her; why she was so important to them…_

_One of the other Sensei's stepped forward._

_"Lord Kazekage, if I may be so bold to ask; isn't this a waste of time? She's so young…I mean, she won't be able to activate the sword until she hits puberty…that won't be for another 5-7 years! Do we really intend on keeping her that long?"_

_The Kazekage grinned. "Of course not…"_

_The sensei sighed in relief._

_"…I intend on keeping her; period."_

_The Sensei snapped his head up at his leader's words._

_"You mean…you will go back on your deal with the Sound Village?"_

_"That girl is much too valuable. Even though she's no where near the proper age, the sword still serves her chakra, despite the fact that it remains dormant…she possess a gift, and I intend on keeping it to myself."_

_"Sir, I highly doubt that being born with a DEMON within one's body should be considered a gift…" He glared at Gaara from the corner of his eye. "Besides that, the Sound ninjas will be here to collect her when she turns 12; that was the agreement. How are you going to convince them that you've decided to keep her?"_

_"It's all a matter of good planning…" The Kazekage replied, brining his gaze down to his son, Gaara._

* * *

"Bastard…" Gaara whispered to himself before succumbing to the sleep he'd been deprived of for so long.

* * *

Kaliana and Shikamaru stayed in the hayloft long into the night. Kali busily explained to the dumbfounded Shikamaru how Gaara had helped her escape into the Toxic Swamp.

"It's true, Shika. He helped me. He didn't have to, but he did."

"I…I can't believe it! Gaara…of all people…"

"He's not really as bad as people make him out to be…it's not his fault he's got a demon trapped inside him. I understand where he's coming from…sort of." She stopped and turned to Hizoku. "This sword of mine once belonged to a man named Eudame Inuzuka. He and his dog got turned into a demon when they were battling a bat demon. When he died, he put his powers in the sword and promised to be reborn in 100 generations…Shika, I'm the 100th generation. That's why only I can talk to the sword and make fire come out of my body. I have the demon hound inside of me."

Shikamaru gazed at her in shock.

"That's it then. That must be why the Sand Village captured you. They want that power."

"I was afraid you'd say that…" Kaliana lowered her eyes to the hay-covered ground.

Shikamaru scooted closer and put his hand on her shoulder.

"You **really** need to tell your uncle about this."

"I don't want to interrupt him; I've been enough of a distraction already. I'll tell him when he comes back."

"Did you ever find out why he thought you went to the Academy?"

"You know that Black-haired girl? The orphan the Kazekage said he'd traded me for?"

"Yeah."

"They'd sent HER to the Kunoichi Academy in my place as a decoy. So uncle Kakashi received report cards and letters the entire time I was gone. They did it so he wouldn't be suspicious…she didn't even look like me!"

"She didn't have to…her job was to be harsh to your uncle…to make sure that he'd never bother to check up on you…and she did her job perfectly. What an ingenious plan…" Shikamaru said in disbelief. "Kaliana, are you sure you want to wait until the Chunin exams to tell your uncle? CAN we wait that long?"

"I don't know the entire story yet…I have to talk to Gaara again."

"What do you mean?"

Kaliana lowered her voice, fearing that someone was listening in.

"I saw him earlier today…he told me that the night I escaped…they planned on moving me because they decided they didn't want to give me to the person who hired them to kidnap me in the first place. But then these other 2 Sand ninjas dropped down and took him away before he could say anything else. I wasn't able to get a good look at them, though. I need to ask him what they planned on doing with me…and who the Kazekage was working for."

"Kankuro and Temari…"

"Who?" Kaliana tilted her head curiously. "Oh, wait…the guy with the painted face and the girl with the fan…right…"

"Those are Gaara's siblings. It was probably them who snatched him away. They know something they don't want you to know…maybe even more then Gaara. If you're going to talk to anyone, you should interrogate one of them."

Kaliana raised her brow curiously. "Siblings? They're related? Really?"

"You were in the Sand Village for 3 years and you didn't know that?" Shikamaru laughed.

"Well, I was a little preoccupied being a prisoner and all…" Kaliana groaned as she got to her feet and stretched. "It's late. I better get home."

Shika, too, got up and stretched his arms out to the sky and yawned. "Yeah. I'd better go, too, before my mom starts to think we're fornicating in the barn."

Kaliana grinned and lifted an eyebrow. "OOH! You wanna mess with her?"

"Mess with her? What do you mean?"

Kaliana walked over to Shikamaru and rubbed his head, loosening the hair in his ponytail and making it look unkept and frizzy. She picked up some straw and strategically weaved it through his hair. She pulled down his shirt to one side, revealing a shoulder.

Kaliana stepped back to marvel at her masterpiece.

"There we go! Now, we'll just add a few fingerprints on your pants and VIOLA! Death by enraged mother."

Shikamaru laughed and shook his head. "If my mother kills me, who's gonna help you figure this out?"

Kaliana chuckled as well and started down the ladder. "Ah, it's only a joke. I already know who you like…"

Shikamaru proceeded picking the straw out of his hair and fixing his ponytail. "What are you talking about? I don't like anyone."

Kaliana leaned over, her head resting in her hand. "Don't lie to me, Shikamaru. I can smell a crush from a mile away. When you said her name…I could hear it in your voice. You like Gaara's sister, don't you?"

Shikamaru blushed hard. He turned away, sweat beading from his brow. "Wha…wh-why would you say that?"

"The fact that you're acting like a giddy schoolgirl pretty much sums it up." Kaliana laughed. "You gonna jump her bones?"

"**KALIANA!"** Shikamaru screeched. "Jeez…could you be anymore of a busy-body?"

"Bet you'd like to get busy with her body, my friend…" Kaliana teased.

"**OH, GO HOME ALREADY!"** Shika roared with embarrassment.

"Alright, alright…" Kaliana stepped down the ladder a few pegs, then stopped and looked up again. "Hey Shika." She called, causing her friend to look up. "Bite her ass…she'll love it."

"**GET THE HELL OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!! OUT, OUT, OUT!!!" **

Kaliana gave a small grin beneath her mask before dropping down to the floor and exiting the barn.

**End of Chapter 17**

* * *

**_CH. 18 "And the Game Gets Deadlier…"_**

----------------------------------------------------

Kakashi leaned against a boulder, looking up at the moon and the stars. He felt that Sasuke seemed to be making progress, and the day of training turned out to be a productive one. Just as he was closing his eyes, he could see Sasuke's dark figure scurrying away and diving behind one of the boulders in the distance. Figuring the boy was just emptying his bladder, Kakashi drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Kaliana leapt into her room through the open window. She removed Hizoku from her back and placed it against the wall. She dropped into bed and sighed. Kuriochi climbed out from beneath the bed and jumped on her stomach.

"Kuri-Kuri-Kuri!" He chanted wildly, pointing to the busted light bulb.

Kaliana looked up at the broken bulb, then back down on the floor at the shattered glass. She sneered with distaste. "Lousy electrical wiring…"

_"Kaliana…"_

Kaliana flipped herself on her stomach and cradled her arms under her chin. She looked over at her sword.

"What's on your mind, Hizoku?"

_"That story your cousin told you…the one about Eudame…"_

"What about it?"

_"It was inaccurate."_

Kaliana sat up eagerly and leaned forward.

"It was? Well, what's the real story then? Tell me, Hizoku. Please?"

_"I suppose it is time…You see, Eudame Inuzuka did not create me…he merely altered my appearance. A man named Saint Masumi created me. He was a just man of wisdom and kindness. My original purpose was to glean fields of wheat so that he may feed the orphaned and widowed. But one day, he found himself in desperate need of money, and so, he sold me to Eudame, who used me to slay many, many men."_

Kaliana grimaced at the thought.

_"The day I was used to stab the Hound in the heart is the day that Saint Masumi died in his village. Having still the spiritual connection with me, he bestowed upon me his gift of White Chakra before his death. The White Chakra can heal all manners of injury and virtually any disease when in the right hands. The exact same moment, The Hound filled me with his own wicked Black Chakra, as he too, had a spiritual bond with me. The combination of the Ying and Yang Chakra gave me life. He promised, before he lost consciousness, that when he returned in 100 generations, we would rule the 10 Countries together."_

"Saint Masumi…so, that's how I can produce White Chakra, isn't it?"

_"It is…"_ The sword paused, then continued. _"A man took me by the handle. I could tell it was the son of Saint Masumi. He intended to destroy me, but I revealed myself to him as the sword his father had created long ago. I requested that he remove the Black Chakra from me and seal it away, so that when the demon was reborn, he would not be able to obtain his power. He agreed and extracted the demonic chakra, sealing it away in a scroll. He sealed it with a Jutsu, made up of several handseals. Each handseal was encoded with a riddle, so that even if the scroll were found, it would make it very difficult for one to unlock the secrets. Unfortunately, in giving up the Black Chakra, it left me dormant and lifeless once again. Only the flesh and blood sacrifice of the 100th generation could have awakened me."_

"My hand…" Kaliana held up her right hand and eyed the glove.

_"Correct."_

"Well, where is the scroll now?" She inquired.

_"As far as I know, it is still locked away in the Inuzuka shrine guarded by the monks. But, with all of this going on about your power being coveted by evil, I doubt that it's still there. If the seal to the scroll is broken, a single remnant of the Black Chakra will escape and find you. If it enters your body, it will cause the Hound to stir. If another is released…it will awaken the Hound fully."_

Kaliana got up and out of the bed. "Let's just hope nobody's found it yet…I'd hate for that thing to wake up now."

Kuriochi suddenly started bouncing about on the bed, pointing towards the mirror and chattering wildly.

"Kuri-Kurio! Kuri-ku-Kuri! Kurio-chi!"

Kaliana looked curiously at the eager little creature, then looked at the mirror.

"What? What do you want?"

"Kuri-o! Kuri-Kuri!" He chanted, pointing desperately at the mirror.

Curious, Kaliana got up and walked over to the vanity. She looked at herself, her eyes wandering to the burn on her neck, quickly forgetting Kuriochi's odd behavior. She rubbed the burn with her fingertips. "Ooh…so, that's what hurts. Hey, Hizoku. I need some White Chakra to heal this thing on my neck."

_"What thing? I sense nothing wrong with your neck."_

Kaliana tilted her head. "You can't sense it? I don't understand why…it hurts a lot."

_"Does it? Hmm…that is very odd. I can not heal what I can not sense; I'm sorry."_

Kaliana tore her gaze from the sword and looked back into the mirror. "So weird…I think it's a burn of some kind."

_"I am deeply troubled that I am unable to sense this injury. When did you obtain it?"_

"Hmm…yesterday, I think. Sometime during my battle with Sasuke."

_"I don't understand…had he injured you, I would have been able to heal it. No, I think you got that burn from somewhere else…"_

"But where?"

Suddenly, the entire vanity jerked forward with one swift lunge, causing her hairbrush to fall to the floor. Kaliana looked into the mirror curiously, only her reflection staring back at her. With a shrug, she bent down and wrapped her fingers around the hairbrush. She straightened herself out, looking intently at the brush. She turned back towards the mirror; a hideous, toothy, two-toned beast with dog-like characteristics stared back at her. It opened it mouth, revealing its dripping fangs, and roared.

"**HOLY MOTHER OF…!"**

Kaliana jumped back as the mirror exploded, sending glass shards everywhere. The entire room illuminated a dark, almost black, violet flash, then died down, leaving Kaliana lying across the floor, unconscious.

* * *

**The Next Morning…**

Kakashi stood, arms crossed as he watched Sasuke battle one of his shadow clones. The Kakashi-clone was swift and clever, dodging all of Sasuke's attacks with ease. They had only been training for half an hour, and Sasuke was already rapidly losing speed and strength. Knowing something was wrong, Kakashi commanded his clone to finish the battle, knocking Sasuke to the ground before dispersing.

Kakashi approached his student, who lay across the ground, panting like he'd just a run a marathon.

"Sasuke…what the HELL was that?"

"I'm…sorry…" Sasuke panted out.

"I know you need to work on your endurance, but this is utterly ridiculous. You lasted 25 minutes. Do you know how pathetic that is?"

"I…said…I'm…sorry…"

"Why are you so weak today? You were doing beautifully yesterday." Kakashi recalled Sasuke sneaking away the previous night. "What did you do last night?" He asked quickly.

Sasuke looked up at his Sensei, a bit surprised.

"What…do you…mean?" He slowly sat up, still breathing heavily.

"I saw you sneak away last night…where did you go and what were you doing?"

"I…thought you were sleeping…"

"Answer the question, Sasuke."

Sasuke paused, trying to think up an excuse.

"I…I was…I just wanted to be alone…" He finally stuttered out.

Kakashi's face became stern. His eyebrows furrowed. He knew exactly what Sasuke was doing last night. He got down on one knee and leaned close to his student.

"Do you realize you waste an enormous amount of chakra when you do that?" He said quietly, almost whispering.

Sasuke's cheeks turned a bright shade of crimson. He peered at Kakashi from the corner of his eye, then turned his face away completely, knowing now that his Sensei was aware of his sinful actions.

"No…I didn't know that…"

"Well, now, you know." Kakashi stood up, standing tall over Sasuke's diminutive body. "Doing…that…takes a lot of chakra; chakra you can't afford to waste. Have some self-control…at least wait until the Chunin exams are over, okay?"

Sasuke sighed and slowly got to his feet, his face still as red as a cherry.

"Yeah." He muttered.

Kakashi leaned against a rock and pulled out his book.

"Rest a moment. We'll continue in a few minutes."

Sasuke turned to walk away.

"Sasuke…stay where I can see you." Kakashi warned, not taking his eyes of the book.

With a roll of his eyes, Sasuke stopped where he stood and sat down. He glared at his Sensei.

_He's one to talk…sitting there, reading that perverted book all day…What a hypocrite…_

* * *

**Akatsuki Castle…the same day…**

Deidara and Sasori sat in a dark room, waiting for instructions. All free Akatsuki members were called that day by the leader, Pein, though no one was sure why. So far, only one team showed up, and they were waiting impatiently for their leader to tell them what this was all about.

Deidara played with the mouths on his hands, slapping them together and watching them make-out. He snickered to himself; amused by his own perverted antics. Sasori watched in disgust, shuddering at the disturbing sight.

"Ugh…talk about a hand-held blowjob…"

Deidara peered at his partner from the corner of his eye.

"You want a kiss, Sasori?" He laughed, shoving one of the hands in the Red Sand's face and flicking the tongue at him.

Sasori leapt out of his seat and backed away.

"UGH! You nasty bastard! Keep those things away from me! You're so disgusting!"

Deidara laughed to himself and continued to watch his mouthed-hands kiss.

"You have no sense of humor…but that should be expected, since you have no taste in art…"

Suddenly, Kisame and Itachi entered, both of them keeping quiet as they walked to the center of the room. Kisame took a seat at the table, while Itachi stood by himself in the corner. Kisame looked around the room.

"Are we the only ones who showed up?"

"Looks like." Deidara answered, not taking his eyes off his own hands.

"Why are we here anyway?" Sasori questioned.

_"I'll tell you why…"_ A voice spoke from amongst the shadows.

The 2 seated Akatsuki members got up upon hearing their leader's voice. Sasori, too turned towards it. Itachi stayed where he was, keeping his eyes averted and his mind elsewhere.

_"There is a new demon I've learned of in the Hidden Leaf Village…a Hound Demon."_ Pein continued, despite the fact that Itachi didn't seem to be paying attention. _"Most people say it's just a legend, but I can't take the chance of believing that…it is said that this Hound demon possesses a power known as Black Chakra, which can provide the bearer with limitless power. If it is true…I want it. Now then…is this all of you? No one else showed up? Where are Zetsu and Kimmimaru?"_

"They didn't come, sir." Kisame answered. "We're the only ones."

_"Well, then…you can chose amongst yourselves who will go and look into this for me…"_ Keeping still in the shadows, Pein tossed a scroll and file onto the table before the three curious shinobi. _"I only need one team…now choose and go…I do not want any time wasted."_

That said, Pein's presence was no longer apparent. Deidara snatched the file, while Kisame grabbed the scroll. He opened it, revealing an artistic rendition of the Demon hound his employer was so interested in. Along the picture was some writing, and Kisame read some of it out loud.

"According to this, the only way to release the hound and obtain the Black Chakra is to sacrifice the host by stabbing them in the heart with this strange sword called the Hizoku no Katana…sounds like fun. Where's this hound supposed to be anyway?" Kisame inquired, placing the scroll in his pocket.

Deidara's jaw dropped to the ground when he opened the file and noticed the picture of a beautiful silver-haired girl wearing a skimpy black crop-top and green pants that hung low on her hips. It was recent…obviously taken without her knowledge by one of their own Akatsuki members.

"**THIS** is her?!?" He exclaimed, eyes bulging.

Sasori peered over his partners' shoulder. He, too, smirked at the picture.

"So the Hound is in her, huh?"

"I'd sure like to be in her!" Deidara swooned, eyeing the picture intently.

Kisame took a glance at the picture as well.

"Pretty easy on the eyes, isn't she?"

"Oh, man! This chick's got all of my mouths drooling! Sasori, we're **DEFINETELY** taking this mission!"

Sasori looked at Kisame, who nodded.

"Go ahead. I certainly don't need that kind of distraction."

As the team turned to leave, Deidara flipped through the girl's profile some more.

"What's this babe's name? I need to know what to scream out while I'm reaming her all night long!"

"It's on the cover, you hopeless horndog." Sasori mumbled, rolling his eyes.

Deidara flipped the file closed and smiled at the name.

"Kaliana Inuzuka! That's a pornstar name if I've ever heard one!"

Itachi, who had been withdrawn and quite the entire time, snapped his head up at the name. He quickly rushed over and snatched the file from Deidara's hands.

"Hey! What the hell?!" Deidara snapped. "Give that back, you ass!"

Itachi looked at the girls' photo, then her name on the front cover.

"Inuzuka…" He muttered to himself. He recalled the brave young Lord who sacrificed his own life to save him so long ago. He remembered the man speak the name of his daughter. "Kaliana…"

Kisame looked curiously at his partner, who stared at the picture for a long time.

"Umm…Itachi…"

Itachi lifted his head and threw the file of the table.

"C'mon, Kisame. This is our mission." That said, he started out the door.

"**What!?**" Deidara shouted in objection. "You weren't even interested in this mission a few minutes ago! I said I'M taking this mission! I'm not letting you have it!"

Itachi turned towards his fellow member of the Akatsuki. He narrowed his red eyes.

"Try and stop me, then." He said simply.

Deidara glared at him, but didn't say anything more.

"I thought so." Itachi turned and left. Kisame shrugged and followed, confused by his partners' sudden change in attitude towards this odd new mission.

Deidara sighed and looked down at the bulge in his pants. "Shit…now what am I going to do with this thing?" With a disappointed groan, he turned hopefully to his partner. "Can I borrow one of your puppets?"

Sasori glared at Deidara and shuddered. "Get away from me…"

* * *

"Itachi, wait!" Kisame called, trying to catch up with his partner.

Itachi stopped and turned, irritation in his eyes. "What?" He asked shortly.

Kisame caught up, panting. "What's…gotten…into you?" He coughed out. "I've never…seen you so focused…and interested in a mission…that doesn't have anything to do with mass murder…or your little brother." Kisame finally straightened himself out and caught his breath. He pointed to the file Itachi cradled under his arm. "Do you know that girl? Is that it, Itachi?"

Itachi looked down at the corner of her photo that peeked out from within the file. He growled and began walking away again.

"It's…difficult."

"Why?" Kisame pressed.

Itachi didn't answer. He traveled smooth and sure, his mind focused on the mission…and on Kaliana.

**End of Chapter 18/End of ACT VI**


	7. ACT VII Awakening the Fire Hound

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction**_

_**ACT VII: The Awakening of the Fire Hound**_

_**CH. 19 "Special Brownies Make the World Go 'Round"**_

* * *

Kisame and Itachi looked down at the open window on the apartment building from their perch in the high tree branches above.

"You're certain that _this_ was the address?" Kisame questioned. "There must be some kind of mistake. The trainer of the kid with the nine-tailed fox lives here. Why would this Hound-demon girl be in there?"

"Don't let the last name fool you, Kisame. Did you see her photo? She resembles that kids' trainer. They are related…his daughter or niece perhaps."

The two stood silently, keeping their gaze locked on the open window below. "So…what's the plan?" Kisame finally broke the silence.

"Keep watch. I'll see if she's inside." With that, Itachi made a single handseal before his face; the Transformation jutsu.

"What are you doing?" Kisame asked. "Why don't you just send your raven down there instead?"

"Because I want to see the girl for myself." He hissed as he became engulfed in the clouds of jutsu smoke.

In a flash, Itachi became a raven, and flapped his ebony wings all the way down to the window. He peered around the room. There was glass everywhere, for one thing. Glass from the window, light bulb and mirror were scattered all over the floor. Amongst the glass lay a girl; her eyes closed with slumber. He looked to his left and spotted a colossal sword leaning against the wall. He hopped off the windowsill and landed on the floor of the room.

"_Caw! Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw!" _The Itachi-raven bellowed loudly.

_Wake up, girl. _He ordered in his head. _Wake up so that we may see if this legend is false._

"_Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw, caw!" _He insisted, becoming louder and louder_. "CAW, CAW, CAW, CAW!"_

"Itachi!" Kisame called from above. "Somebody's coming!"

The raven hopped back onto the windowsill and looked up on his shark-faced partner.

_So, make yourself scarce! _Itachi shouted telepathically.

"Right." With that, Kisame backed up into the depths of the branches.

Just as the raven-disguised-Itachi returned his attention to the room, his chest was met hard with an old sneaker, causing him to go flying backwards off the window. He managed to flap himself into the depths of the trees. Once well concealed within the thick branches, he dropped the jutsu, landing on his back before the feet of his partner, who was trying desperately not to laugh.

"AND STAY OFF MY WINDOW, YOU STUPID BIRD!" Kaliana's voice boomed before she slammed the window shut.

Inside the room, Kaliana plopped herself on the bed, gripping her head.

"Oh, man! I have such a headache! Lousy, piece of crap bird…" She mumbled, leaning back against her pillow.

_"Kaliana…"_

"What?!" She snapped irritably.

_"My fears have been confirmed…"_

Kaliana sat up, her face scrunched up with distaste. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"_Somebody has taken the sacred scroll and broken the seal, releasing a single ember of the Fire Hound's Black Chakra. It has found its way to you, because the Hound's dormant Spirit called to it."_

"Huh? Black Chakra? Wha-…?"

_"Remember last night…"_

"Last night…?"

Suddenly, she recalled seeing the hideous face in the mirror the night before. She remembered the flash of deep violet that permeated the entire room. She remembered feeling something force its way inside of her…the mirror exploding as it entered her body…

She leapt off the bed, eyes wide. "OH, NO! You mean the demon in me is awake?!"

"_Not yet. It will not awaken fully unless a second chakra flame is released…someone is trying to awaken the Hound, and there's no telling when the next one will come. Whatever you do, don't you lose your temper…that will also cause it to come to life and take control over you. You are short and irate today…even now, the Hound stirs. Kaliana, you must find someway to be calm today, least you wake that wretched beast within you…"_

Kaliana gripped her head again, and began pacing wildly.

"You're right! You're absolutely right! I need to calm down…" She ran over to the window, opened it and poked her head out. "HEY, LITTLE BIRD? IF YOU'RE STILL OUT THERE, I'M SORRY!"

------------------------------------------------------------

Kisame looked over at Itachi and smiled. "See, little bird? She's sorry…" He teased.

"Kisame, we're on a VERY important mission. Please don't make me kill you."

--------------------------------------------------------------

Gai lifted his head to the window upon hearing Kaliana's voice.

"Oh, good! She's home." He approached the door and knocked. "Kaliana!"

---------------------------------------------------------------

"That sounds like Gai…" Kaliana noticed, cocking her head to one side.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Kaliana!" His voice rang out again.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Crap, that IS Gai!" Kaliana ran from her room nervously. "Oh man, oh man, oh man! I need to calm down before I talk to anybody! **HOLD ON, GAI! I'LL BE THERE IN A MINUTE!**"

------------------------------------------------------

"Okay!" Gai, relieved, took a seat on the stoop and waited.

-------------------------------------------------------

Kaliana flew into the kitchen. Flinging open the refrigerator, she searched frantically for something with alcohol in it.

"Something…anything to calm my nerves!" She said to herself, looking at every bottle she could grab. She suddenly noticed a tray of brownies on the bottom shelf. She peered through the plastic that covered them. "What's that green stuff hanging out of them? Doesn't look like mold…" She opened the side and pulled one out. She tasted it. Her eyes widened at the realization of the treasure she'd just uncovered. "Oh, snap! They're bud-brownies! Right on!"

She quickly grabbed a few, pulled down her mask and shoved them in her mouth. She then ran to the door and greeted her favorite Sensei with a chocolatey smile, her mask hanging off her face.

"Hi, Gai!" She said with her mouth full.

Gai got up and turned to greet her. He jumped back a bit upon noticing her less-then-attractive smile.

"Oh…um, good morning, Kaliana! How are you today?"

"Good…" She said, trying to chew quickly.

"I tried to come over yesterday…but you weren't here. Where did you go?"

"Shikamaru's house…" She finally swallowed the chunk of fudge and marijuana, rubbing her tongue over her teeth in a desperate but futile attempt to clean the cannabis and chocolate from between them. "Why?" She asked, slowly returning the mask to her face.

"Well, since your uncle won't be back for another 8 days, I was wondering if you'd like to train with me and my squad for that time?"

"…Really?" She gasped in awe and disbelief. "Train with _you_? For 8 whole days?"

"Yup!" Gai gleamed, standing tall and proud with a regal smile on his face. "Me, Gai Maito: The Strongest Jounin in the Leaf Village!"

Kaliana leapt high in the air and cheered. "ALRIGHT!! I GET TO TRAIN WITH GAI!!!"

_Kaliana, wait…_

Kaliana immediately snapped her attention to the sword.

_What is it now? _

_I need to talk to you; face to blade. Come in here, please._

"**YEAH!****"** Gai exclaimed, pumped with pride. He turned and pointed towards the east, wearing a grin brimming of absolute self-confidence. **"****LET'S GO MAKE YOUR DREAM COME TRUE!****"**

To Gai's unexpected surprise, the only response that came from Kaliana was the click of the door as she disappeared behind it.

"Hizoku! What do you want?" Kaliana asked in a whiney tone. "I want to go train with Gai!"

_"I do not think that's such a great idea…"_

"Huh? Why not?"

"_Because you may become angry with the person you're sparring with, and in doing so, awaken the Hound…you have no idea how much destruction and terror he will cause…"_

"Oh, is that all?" Kaliana laughed, flicking her wrist. "Don't sweat it! I don't listen to anything my Sensei's tell me. Just like I refused to battle…the pink-haired chick…"

"_Sakura."_

"Right…just like I refused to battle Sakura, I'll refuse to battle the Cute dude and the Scary chick."

"_Neji and TenTen…" _

"You're very good with names…that's useful."

"_I retain everything I learn…even if my Master at the time does not."_

"Well, let me tell you something, Hizoku. I'm nothing like your last master. No offense, but that…Eudame guy…he was sick. Trust me, I wouldn't hurt anyone, and I don't have a bad temper. I mean COME ON! It took 3 years of torture in the Sand Village to piss me off enough to finally escape. I'm the perfect person to contain this demon, because I won't ever let his anger out."

The sword took a moment to allow her words to really sink into its amazing living mind.

"_You remind me of Saint Masumi. Your words are genuine, and I can trust that you will keep the Hound from waking…"_

"The bud-brownies help a lot too."

"…_That is true…"_

"So…you wanna come train with me?"

"_No, no…I think it is best if I stay here. That Gai fellow is very suspicious of me."_

"Oh…okay then." Kaliana gently took the sword by its handle and returned it to its hiding place between the mattress and boxspring. "See you later."

---------------------------------------------------------

Gai sat on the stoop, sleepily holding his head up with one arm. He jumped to his feet when he heard the door click open. Kaliana stepped out holding a basket with a cloth drooped over the top, the scent of the brownies escaping through the porous woven wicker.

"You…went inside…to make brownies?" Gai stammered. "I thought you were getting all your weapons together! I was hoping you'd bring that big sword along, too."

"Oh…well, my weapon skills don't need any honing at all…I was just hoping to learn some new Taijutsu moves today."

Gai nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Hmm…I was REALLY wanting to see that sword again…"

"Yeah, well…um…my lower back hurts a little today and, uh…I don't feel like schlepping it with me everywhere. It's pretty heavy." Kaliana managed to come up with a valid excuse.

Gai growled a little, but nodded. "Okay, fine. While Neji and TenTen are sparring, I'll teach you a new Jutsu today."

"Ooh! That douchebag in my uncle's group…you know, the one I battled yesterday?"

"………Sasuke????"

"Yeah…_him_…He did this really powerful move…it hurt a lot. I forgot what he called it, but it looked like a technique you would do."

"Ah, yes. The Lions Barrage. He used his Sharingan to copy that move from Lee; who, of course, had learned it from me."

"I knew it! That's the move I want to learn!"

"Okay, though you must know it takes a fair amount of chakra to do that. You think you can manage it?"

"Oh yeah…that's no problem at all. I have plenty of chakra to spare." Kaliana nodded confidently.

Gai lowered his ridiculously enormous eyebrows ever so slightly. "Yes…I'm sure you do. Shall we go?"

"Do let's!" Kaliana excitedly closed and locked the door behind her, then hopped off the stoop to join Gai, who had already begun to leave.

She ran to his side and lifted the cloth from the basket. "Brownie?" She offered.

"Don't mind if I do!" Gai eagerly dug his hands into the basket and pulled out 2 generously sized, marijuana-laced fudge squares.

* * *

"Hey, Kin!" Zaku greeted, bursting through the leaves and grinning, scaring his partner half to death.

Kin, having nearly fallen out of the tree, socked him in the gut, but with very little force. Zaku just laughed and sat near her.

"Where've YOU been?" He asked curiously.

"Here, stationed in front of the apartment…LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE! Where the hell have YOU been?" Kin hissed aggitantly.

"Well, let's see…" Zaku sat on the branch and leaned back against the tree. "After I left you with Kaliana and that fox-kid, I caught a movie, hit a bar afterwards picked up a strange girl, went back to my place & had a hot night of rough sex."

Kin glared at her partner, teeth grinding. Zaku laughed again.

"I was WORKING! What do you think I was doing?" He chuckled. "I was following those Sand ninjas. You know, Kaliana found them and was talking to them…"

Kin lifted her brows with astonishment. "She did? Oh, no…Orochimaru's NOT going to like that…"

"So…anything interesting happen while you were watching her?" Zaku asked.

"I don't know." Kin moaned, rubbing her stomach. "She came home, went on one of Orochimaru's late-night-missions, and then left again yesterday morning. I don't know where she went."

"You don't know? What do you mean you don't know? Didn't you follow her?"

"No. I…" She paused and blushed slightly. "I don't feel well. Anyway, she came home really late last night. I think that black Chakra flame found her, too."

"More important news for Orochimaru." Zaku commented to himself. "Well, no time to report anything to him now. She's on the move." He glanced over his shoulder at his partner. "Kin…Are you going this time, or do you want me to go again?"

Kin let out a low groan. "You go on ahead. I'll stay here."

"Still not feeling well?" Zaku asked, concerned. "Was it something you ate?"

"No, it wasn't! It's none of your business! Get lost, will ya?" Kin snapped suddenly.

Zaku groaned and rolled his eyes. "Sorry for caring." With that, he leapt from the tree to another branch and disappeared.

Kin leaned back and gripped just below her stomach at the excruciating cramps.

_I HATE the middle of the month…_

* * *

Kisame and Itachi entered Kaliana's room through the window. Though she'd closed it before she left, she'd overlooked the hole she had punched through it, making the entrance into the apartment a simple task. The men peered around the room; taking care not to crush the glass that was scattered on the floor.

"Give me the scroll." Itachi ordered, holding out his hand.

Kisame obliged by handing him the scroll containing the picture of the Hound and sword, which he had brought with him. Itachi opened it and stared at the picture of the sword.

"That's it. It's the sword I saw earlier. The legend…_is_ true." Itachi closed the scroll and searched the surface of the room. The sword, which was leaning against the wall last time he seen it, was no longer there.

"Maybe she brought it with her." Kisame guessed.

"No…it's still here. It's just hidden. Search for it."

Itachi walked over to the vanity and began searching there, while Kisame lifted the covers from the bed. To his absolute surprise, Kuriochi exploded from beneath the blankets with a shrill cry, dispersing a heaping cloud of black dust from his tail. Kisame, inhaling the Fear-Dust, squealed like a girl and leapt onto the bed in fright of the little gray mouse-looking vermin. Itachi whirled around to see what caused his partner such discomfort, and quickly covered his face upon noticing the black powder shift into his airspace. As Kuriochi scurried about the floor, Kisame began tossing kunai knives at him. Kuriochi dodged them all and skidded to a stop at Itachi's feet. The tiny creature looked up with fear into the cold eyes of this strange man, then quickly scampered up the windowsill and leapt out, disappearing into the bushes. Itachi glared up at Kisame, who stood on top of the bed, shuddering.

"You queer." Itachi hissed, disgusted. "Get down from there. You're an embarrassment."

Kisame blushed and gingerly stepped off the bed; his fear slowly subsiding as the dust dispersed in the air. "I…hate…rats…"

"It wasn't a rat, woman." Itachi grumbled with extreme distaste.

"Well…it looked like one." Kisame finished with a shiver.

Itachi glared at his for a moment, then shook his head with disappointment. "Pick up your weapons." He ordered coldly.

As Kisame gathered his kunai, Itachi looked over at the bed. Kisame seemed to have moved the mattress when he leapt onto it, revealing a corner of the boxspring…and a leather strap from between them. He walked over and lifted the mattress. A rare smile crept onto his face as he laid his eyes on the Hizoku no Katana.

"Here it is…Kisame."

Kisame approached his partner and looked down at the sword as well. "Yup…that's it alright. Grab it."

"You grab it." Itachi shoved Kisame forward with a nudge of his shoulder.

With a shrug, Kisame reached for the handle. To the surprise of both Akatsuki members, the sword released an electrical shock around Kisame's hand, singeing it. The shark-faced man pulled his burned hand back immediately, yowling in pain.

"**AAAUUUGGHH!!!!**" He held his charred limb against his chest. "**SON OF A BITCH SWORD JUST STOLE SOME OF MY CHAKRA!**"

Itachi brought his cold gaze from his partner down to the sword, which was now glowing a bright, sky blue. Kisame leaned over, still gripping his hand, which was now beginning to bleed.

"What's it doing now?"

"Not sure…" Itachi looked at the weapon with curiosity. Kisame's chakra seemed to dance teasingly along the blade, but was not absorbed. Suddenly, the chakra cracked, then shot back at Kisame, sending the shark-faced man hurdling backwards into Kaliana's vanity.

Itachi looked at Hizoku in wonder. "It's rejected it." He glanced over at Kisame. "I guess it doesn't like your chakra."

Kisame moaned as he shakily got to his feet, holding his smoldering hand.

"Apparently, only she can touch the sword; it must have a protective barrier around itself. You're lucky you only touched it, Kisame. Had you gripped it, it would've sucked every remnant of chakra you have; turning you into a strip of fish jerky and turning itself back into its original form. This mission may take longer to complete then we anticipated."

Itachi suddenly turned and hopped out of the open window. Kisame ran to follow him, trying at the same time to wrap his injured hand.

"Itachi, hold on! What're we going to do now?"

Itachi stopped and turned ever so slightly, glancing at Kisame with the corner of his red, swirling eyes.

"Simple…we wait."

"Wait? For what?"

Itachi let out a low chuckle. "We're not the only ones interested in this girls' power."

Itachi looked up at a tree several hundred feet away from the apartment. He could see through the branches and into the darkness at the girl who watched the two of them with shock in her eyes and sweat on her brow; the sun raining through the branches and reflecting its rays off the symbol of the Sound Village.

Itachi grinned slightly. "While they do all the hard work, we shall wait to reap the benefits."

With that, they both vanished, leaving behind only a cloud of smoke that dispersed into the air almost immediately.

--------------------------------------------------

Kin leaned against the branches, her breathing labored and her eyes wide.

_Akatsuki…They saw me…I REALLY have to deliver this news to Orochimaru…_

Kin attempted to get up, but she'd spent herself be leaving her post a block away and coming this close to the apartment. The cramps had all but crippled her completely. With an exasperated sigh, she leaned back again.

_Shit! I can't do anything now…I'll have to wait for this damn pain to subside… _She looked over at the apartment and closed her eyes tightly. _This whole plan…this whole damn plan…has been doomed from the very beginning…_

**End of Chapter 19**

* * *

_**CH. 20 "It's 4:20 Somewhere…"**_

_-------------------------------------------------_

Neji let loose 5 shuriken at TenTen; who responded by releasing 5 of her own kunai knives, deflecting Neji's weapons with ease. Neji grinned and nodded.

"Very good, TenTen. You seem to deflect almost all of my weapons every time. Impressive."

TenTen held her head up proudly. "Of course! I'm the best weapons specialist in the Leaf Village!" She pulled out another kunai knife and tossed it at Neji.

Neji prepared to dodge it and retaliate with his own kunai, when suddenly, a stray screwdriver came flying from out of nowhere, not only deflecting TenTen's knife, but sending it back at her full force as well. The surprised kunoichi dodged as the knife came just inches from her head. She glared at her partner.

"Don't look at me! I didn't do that." Neji admitted.

"Yoo-hoo!" A voice called lyrically from above. "**WHO** is the best weapons specialist in the Leaf Village?"

The second-year Genin brought their gazes to the left and up. Kaliana stood in a tree; one hand on her hip; the other holding a basket. She leapt from the branch and landed neatly between the two of them.

"How's it hangin'?" She greeted.

Neji grinned and jerked his head up slightly in greeting. "Hey! Kaliana, right?"

"That's my name…last time I checked anyway! And I remember you're name is…is…" Kaliana trailed, drawing a complete blank on his name.

_Neji, you moron, Neji._ Hizoku grumbled in her head.

"Neji!" She shouted, grinning stupidly beneath her mask.

"That's right!" Neji nodded. "Good to see you."

TenTen growled to herself. _What is it about this simpleton that puts everyone, even Neji, in a good mood?_

"And you!" Kaliana pointed, bringing TenTen out of her thoughts. "You're…Seven Eleven?"

A chuckle escaped from Neji's lips, while Hizoku merely gave a weary sigh. TenTen snarled like a rabid raccoon.

"It's…TenTen…" She managed to hiss between her grinding teeth.

Kaliana blushed slightly. "Oh…TenTen. Right…I'm, uh, not good with names. Or math, for that matter…" She looked down at the basket and lifted the cover. "Brownies anyone?" She offered.

"I'll have a couple." Neji volunteered, reaching in and pulling out 2. He bit into them with gusto. "Good brownies. A little dry, though."

Kaliana turned to TenTen and offered her the contents of the basket. TenTen, arms crossed, peered into the basket with longing.

"I don't know…" TenTen muttered, pretending to be interested to cleaning her fingernails. "I'm trying to watch my waistline…"

"Oh, please." Kaliana rolled her eyes. "You're not going to turn into a beluga from _one_ brownie_. Peer pressure, peer pressure, peer pressure…_" She teased, waving the basket back and forth.

TenTen looked at Kaliana suspiciously, then peered cautiously into the basket. Kaliana sighed and offered the girl a soft, friendly gaze.

"C'mon, TenTen." She said gently. "I don't want to be your enemy. Take one." _Before I shove it down your frickin' throat! _She growled in her head.

With a defeated sigh, TenTen reached into the basket. "Alright." She relented. "But just one."

Kaliana grinned beneath her mask. "All you need is one."

* * *

It had been 15 minutes since the 2nd year Genin had eaten the brownies. Neji had eaten 5 so far, and they had most assuredly taken affect. He'd revealed his entire life story to Kaliana, from the sacrifice of his father, to the fact that he was a slave to the higher branch of the Hyuga clan. Now, as Kali sat on a log, Neji lay across it, his head in her lap.

Kaliana sat rigidly; her face pale, and her fingers tapping nervously against the log.

_Wow…I am so uncomfortable right now…_

"…And now, I'm nothing but a slave. A bird forever locked in a cage, never to be free…" Neji finished, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Man, this kid is depressing…" Kaliana mumbled to herself. She looked over at TenTen. "How're you feeling over there?"

TenTen, since she'd eaten only the one brownie, sat in a corner against a tree trunk, her knees against her chest, rocking back and forth. Her eyes wide with paranoia darted around wildly.

"I…can't feel my hands…" She whispered.

"That's because you're sitting on them." Kaliana advised with a groan.

Suddenly, Neji shot forward, sitting up straight. "Hey, Kaliana! You wanna see my tattoo?" He spouted from nowhere.

Kaliana ascended an eyebrow. "If it's below your waist, I'm going to be very upset."

Neji chuckled and shook his head as began removing his headband-hat. "No, no, no. It's on my head. I got it when I was 4."

Kaliana grimaced at the thought of a 4-year-old getting a tattoo. While Neji was busy removing the bandage-wraps from his head, Kaliana brought her attention back to TenTen, who was staring intently at her hands.

"I can see my fingerprints! They're so swirly…" TenTen's expression went from paranoid to amused. She was thoroughly engrossed by the pretty indentations in her hands.

"Hey, Kaliana…"

Kali slowly brought her gaze to Neji's forehead. She jumped a little at the sight of the strange tattoo.

"It's a little bird in a cage." Neji squeaked. "That's me…"

Kaliana squinted to try and get a better visual, but she just couldn't see it.

"That's supposed to be a bird in a cage? Dude, I'd fire my tattoo artist if I were you. It looks like 2 sperm cells swimming towards an X."

"**Wha-?!**" Neji gasped at Kaliana's opinion of his mark.

"Take a look for yourself." She offered him a shiny kunai knife.

Neji grabbed it and held it up to his forehead. His eyes bulged as though he'd seen the tattoo for the first time in his life.

"Good Lord! You're right! **YOUR'RE RIGHT!! HA!**"

Neji threw his head back hard and laughed, falling off the back of the log; Kaliana quickly snatching the kunai knife before he hurt himself.

The sudden burst of laughter snapped TenTen out of her trance.

"What's so funny!?"

"I dunno." Kaliana shrugged. "He's acting the way you would if you discovered your hairstyle looked like a pair of boobs."

TenTen slowly put her hands on her buns, realizing for the first time ever that she really looked like her head had spouted breasts. She too, began laughing with hysteria. Kaliana simply sighed and leaned back; completely mellow.

"Sheesh…you'd think these two never had bud brownies before…"

* * *

2 miles away, even Gai was feeling the affects of the 2 brownies he'd eaten. He was used to this affect, as he'd felt it many, many times before. He licked his dry lips.

"Ugh…what the hell was in those brownies?" He stopped to lean against a tree, his head spinning. "This is just like the day Akita and Kamachi went out for the first time…"

* * *

_13-year-old Gai walked into the kitchen to get the plates, drinks and napkins Kakashi ordered him to retrieve. After all, Gai figured, Kakashi WAS incapacitated. As he reached into the cupboards, he noticed 3 tasty-looking brownies on a plate on the counter. Gai licked his lips at the tantalizing scent of the fudge._

"_Hey, Kakashi…you gonna eat these last few brownies?" He called, reaching out and grabbing one of them._

"_Those are for my pai…" Kakashi started before trailing off. "I mean, uh…sure. Help yourself." He ended with a small snicker._

_Gai ignored his suspicions and crammed the treats down his gullet. After all…they were only brownies…_

* * *

Gai sighed and buried his face in his hand. "Just like old times…" He muttered removing his hand and blinking his sensitive eyes to the blinding sunlight.

"Oh, man…am I going to see Lee or have I just come back from there?" Much like his students, Gai sunk to his knees, his eyes tearing from the joy of having an incurable case of the giggles.

* * *

**3 Days Later…**

Shikamaru walked up and down the village streets, searching for Kaliana. He hadn't seen her since the night in the barn, and was eager to help her question the Sand Team. As he passed by an alleyway, he was roughly yanked by the shirt and dragged into the darkness.

"Hey! What the…" He pulled free and turned. To his surprise, it was Kiba who had snatched him away. "Kiba? What the hell is wrong with you snatching me off the street like that?"

"Have you seen my cousin anywhere?" Kiba inquired.

"Well, no. Actually, I was just looking for her. Why?"

"I want to know what's going on here! I know she didn't go to that school."

Shikamaru shifted his eyes uneasily. "So…what does that have to do with me?"

"Don't play dumb, Shikamaru! I know that, of all people, she told you everything. Now enlighten me. What's going on with my cousin?"

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the alley, Naruto dove behind a garbage can in an attempt to hide from the pervy sage. He wanted so badly to train with Kaliana, but he just couldn't shake the toad sage, who was no doubt, hot on his trail. Naruto turned his head slightly when he noticed Shikamaru and Kiba talking. He ascended a curious brow.

_Whoa…what the heck are those two doing back here?_

Shikamaru turned away from Kiba, scratching his neck uneasily.

"I promised her I wouldn't tell." He moaned.

"She didn't mean ME!" Kiba pressed. "She was gonna tell me anyway! C'mon Shikamaru. She won't be mad at you…tell me what's up with Kaliana."

Shikamaru looked behind him then motioned for Kiba to come closer. "Alright." He whispered. "Here's what happened."

And Naruto's eyes went wide as he listened in on the forbidden conversation.

* * *

Kaliana had spent approximately 72 hours with Gai's team; camping out in their training area at night. In that time, one would assume that Kali had picked up the Lions Barrage and several other Taijutsu moves. One would even think that TenTen's accuracy with her weapons tripled, and Neji's amazing control of the Byakugan would have more then improved…but alas, the only thing that had been accomplished was the fact that Kaliana made 2 new friends. Even Gai was laid back during that time, laughing and learning a lot of personal information about his team and his rivals' niece. Yes, the squad had formed a close bond, but now…the brownies were gone. Though Gai, TenTen and Neji were rested and ready to get back to work, Kaliana was pasty white, shaky and nervous.

"You okay, Kaliana?" TenTen questioned, concerned. "You look so pale today."

"No, no!" Kaliana answered quickly. "I'm good…really."

"You sure?" Neji inquired next.

"Fine…I'm fine." Kaliana swallowed hard, sweat beading from her brow. "I'm excited…that's all. Just very, very…excited…"

_Kaliana… _Hizoku's voice suddenly rang in her head.

"**WHAT!?"** She roared, causing both Genin to jump sky-high. Embarrassed, she slunk away, hands behind her back. "Excuse me, please…I have to take this call…"

She hastily ran into the trees while Neji and TenTen exchanged questionable looks.

_Hizoku! You scared the hell outta me! What is it?_

_Well, 3 days ago, I had taken some strange chakra…I rejected it, but I think someone may have been in your room looking at me…how else would I have been able to absorb chakra? I couldn't have possibly done it through the mattress._

_WHAT!? Someone was skulking around my room? Why didn't you tell me earlier?_

_I didn't want to disturb your training, but now, after reading your thoughts, I see you haven't done anything since you've been gone, you shameless pothead! I also sense that you're very nervous…tell me, do you fear that the Hound will awaken within you? Do you feel you can't control it?_

"I CAN CONTROL IT!" She screamed out loud. "I can control it!"

"What can you control?"

Kaliana whirled around to see Gai, who was staring at her strangely. "What can I control?" She repeated, her eyes darting nervously.

"That's what I just asked you." Gai laughed. "What is it you can control?"

Kaliana became even more uncomfortable when Neji and TenTen joined the scene, staring at her with the same strange curiosity that Gai wore. "I can control…" She started, eyeing Neji. "My feelings…for Neji."

A small grunt of surprise rose up from the group. Kaliana blushed, but continued. "Yes, I admit it…I want his bod…badly. Neji, you wanna spoon behind those bushes?"

"**HUH!?!?!?!**" Neji gasped out.

"Huh!" Kaliana mimicked his stunned gasp and clapped her hands together. "Well, I take that as a 'no'! Whew! Glad I got THAT outta my system! Let's go train!" She laughed as she rushed past them, hoping they didn't notice the beads of sweat on her brow.

Gai looked down at his students, who looked to him for some answers. He WAS the one who invited her, after all. He looked down at his students' confused faces, searching for a reasonable answer, only one of the many going through his mind at that moment seemed the most logical.

"She's…dehydrated."

* * *

_"The Bearer Fears that Which he is…"_ Orochimaru read the clue to himself out loud. He had read the clue several times, trying to make sense of it. "The Bearer…Kaliana…Fears that Which she is…" He turned to Kabuto, who ran his finger back and forth through the candle's fire in a attempt to accustom his body to the heat, least he one day become fortunate enough to spend a night with Kaliana.

"Kabuto!"

Kabuto jumped a little and turned to his master, stopping with his finger in the depths of the flame. He quickly withdrew upon feeling the heat burn through his skin. He pulled his burned appendage into his mouth to sooth it.

"I'm not interrupting you am I?" Orochimaru quipped aggitantly as he glared at his partner. "If you can make some room in your…busy schedule…I could use some help over here."

Kabuto reluctantly walked over, still holding his finger under his tongue. He peered at the clue.

"Did you try 'Dog'?"

Orochimaru grinned and returned his gaze to the scroll. He leaned over and uttered the word, "Inu."

To the surprise of Orochimaru and Kabuto, the seal for 'Inu' replaced the clue, revealing the next clue. Also to their amazement, a tiny Black Chakra ember emerged from the newly discovered seal. It fluttered around the room for a while before darting outside and flying away into the horizon.

"A Black Chakra remnant!" Orochimaru exclaimed joyously. "One must be released each time I figure out a clue!"

"Are they seeking out Kaliana?" Kabuto asked.

"They are seeking the Hound." Orochimaru grinned. He turned to Kabuto. "Follow it."

Kabuto wasted no time in hoping out the window in pursuit of the tiny evil ember. Orochimaru brought his attention back down to the scroll.

_"The Seal that Disguises the Right, Least they Know it Does Not Exist…"_

Orochimaru tilted his head curiously at the confusing proverb and once again began to tedious task of racking his brain for the answer.

* * *

**Late That Night**

Kaliana wearily opened the door to the apartment and dragged herself to her room. Learning a technique like the Lions Barrage was a lot harder then she anticipated. It wasn't so much the amount of chakra you could spare as much as it was balance and accuracy…two things that Kaliana was NOT very skilled in. Before the training session had ended that day, she managed to perform it near-perfectly one time on a Neji Shadow-Clone, but not without first injuring her back. Gai allowed her to return home so that she may sleep in the bed rather then the hard ground, but she was expected back that the training area first-thing in the morning. She groaned as she plopped herself into her bed.

"Man, what a hard day…my back is killing me."

_"If your back is causing you pain…why not heal it?"_ Hizoku suggested.

Kaliana lay in bed for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah…I guess I can do that." She hadn't even thought of healing it with her White Chakra.

Once she felt better, she decided to pull her old Kekei GenKai book out from under her bed. It had been ages since she'd looked at it, and was eager to refresh her memory about the Byakugan; her favorite of the Bloodline limitation techniques. She brushed the dust off the cover and opened it, only to realize it was too dark to read any of it. She sat up and walked over the light-switch. She sighed when she remembered that the bulb had exploded. She groaned and wandered into the kitchen to get a new one.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside, Zaku had returned and joined Kin on her perch in the tree just above the apartment.

"What'd I miss?" He asked.

Kin sat up eagerly; her midsection still painfully throbbing.

"Akatsuki…They were here a few days ago…just after you left." She whispered.

"What?! What were _they_ doing here?"

"They know about the Hound. I think they want it."

"Well…did you tell Orochimaru or Kabuto?"

"No! I can't move a whole lot…you need to tell them."

"What happened to you? Why can't you move?"

"I'd rather not talk about it…"

"Why?" Zaku pressed.

"**BECAUSE I'M ON MY PERIOD, OKAY!?**" Kin finally exploded.

Zaku shuddered and backed away. "**UGH!** That explains a lot!"

"Now, get your ass in there, refresh the Memory Seal Jutsu, then go tell Orochimaru about Akatsuki, got it!?"

Zaku didn't say anything more, and leapt out of the tree. He crept towards Kaliana's window, opened it and slipped inside.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kabuto was on the flames' trail, but as they closed in on Konoha, the flame's speed increased dramatically. Within moments, Kabuto lost sight of it. Luckily, he knew exactly where it was headed and continued to make his mad dash through the woods…

* * *

Kaliana returned to her room with the new bulb. She unscrewed what was left of the old one and replaced it with the new one. She flicked the light on.

"Yo…" A voice greeted from behind.

Kaliana whirled around to face Zaku, who stood, arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

"Who the hell are you? What're you doing in my house!? Get out, now!" She demanded.

"I'll leave in a minute…" He began to approach her; making handseals.

Suddenly, a tiny black fleck dove into the room. It dashed passed Zaku and swiftly buried itself between Kaliana's eyes. The force caused her head to snap back a little. She stumbled into the vanity. Zaku paused for a moment and turned back towards the window.

_What the hell was that?_

Quickly dismissing the thought, he focused back on Kaliana and continued with the seals. Kaliana rubbed her head, but stayed vigilant. Her gaze hardened at this trespasser.

"I don't know who you are, but you better haul ass outta here or…" She stopped when she noticed his headband. "That symbol…I know that symbol." She whispered.

A sudden, unexplained rage swept over her at the sight of the Sound symbol. Her eyes began to glow a deep blackish purple color. _**"You…"**_ Her voice became scratchy and deep; much like Gaara's when the badger demon stirred within him. Zaku's eyes widened at this sudden change.

**End of Chapter 20**

* * *

_**CH. 21 "They Call Me Mister Hound"**_

------------------------------------------------------

_Kaliana found herself hurdling through the darkness. She landed in an aqueduct pipe, which roughly cascaded her through the mucky water and down a murky waterfall, where she finally landed in a pool of stagnant water. She quickly pulled herself out of the mess and attempted to take in her surroundings. The backstreets of this city were dank, dark and forbidding. Directly in front of her was a dark alley in between two old, cracked buildings. To her left, she could make out a shadowy yard completely fenced with chain and barbed wire; obviously meaning to keep someone out._

_Yes, her subconscious was a lonely, vacant and dreary place. She turned her attention to the alleyway before her. Her eyes slowly wandered to the ground, where a large white line was painted on the street. There was even larger writing above it that read: End of Chain. **DO NOT CROSS**._

_Kaliana scrunched up her face at this demanding sign._

_"This is MY mind and I'll cross whatever line I please!"_

_She gingerly stepped over the line and inches from the shadowy alley. She turned back towards where she'd came, hands on her hips. She didn't notice the menacing violet eyes that glowed furiously behind her._

"_I don't get it! What's with this dumb line anywa…__**AH**__!" Her sentence was quickly cut short when a large paw wrapped its humanoid-type fingers around her and roughly yanked her into the darkness._

* * *

Zaku watched intently, forgetting all about his duty to renew the Memory Seal. Kaliana was growling with malevolent intent, sounding much like a snarling wolf. He noticed that her fingernails had grown, doubling in size and becoming incredibly sharp. Had her mask not been on, he could imagine fangs sprouting from her upper jaw. Her hair was wild as though a gust of wind was blowing through it; but alas; there was no wind that night. Her eyes continued to glow ebony with a shine of violet.

He turned towards her mattress, which was vibrating wildly. Suddenly, Hizoku slipped out from beneath it, shaking violently and glowing white, with the ivory colored flames resonating from it. Zaku brought his gaze back to Kaliana, whose growl seemed to become more and more violent with each passing moment.

_What the hell is going on here? Is Orochimaru doing that? No…no, the necklace isn't glowing! Could it be…the Fire Hound?_

* * *

_Still tightly gripped in the beasts' paw, Kaliana was slammed roughly against the sides of the buildings, tossed in the air like a chew toy and smashed to the ground with sickening force. Kaliana slowly opened her eyes when the violent attacks ceased for the moment. To her terror, she was face to face with the Fire Hound. He was mostly white with a black patch over his right eye. His big, fluffy ears were black; the right ear had a white spot on it. His paws were black up to his elbows; and his tail was large and bushy at the tip. His face, however, was truly terrifying. His fangs were long and sharp, his eyes narrow and he radiated an evil aura about him. Once he felt Kaliana had gotten a good enough look at him, He lifted her off the ground and brought her close to his face, where he let out an eardrum-shattering roar._

"_**INSOLENT LITTLE WRETCH!!!!!!!**__" He threw her against a wall again before flinging her to the ground again and pouncing atop her body. "__**OF ALL THE WEAK HUMANS FOR MY SPIRIT TO BE REBORN WITHIN…IT HAD TO BE A TIMID LITTLE SNIP LIKE YOU!**__" He picked her up and roared in her face again before tossing her aside. "__**BUT NOW, I AM AWAKE! AND THE 10 COUNTRIES ARE MINE!**__"_

_The Hound attempted to make a run towards the DO NOT CROSS line, but to his surprise, he was held back with a chain of White Chakra. He tried to pull free, but to know avail. Kaliana, who was weakly trying to pull herself to her feet, found herself being yanked up by the hair. She was once again face-to face with the Hound; who was furious._

"_**WHAT IS THIS!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!**__"_

"_I…I don't know what you're talking about!" Kaliana squeaked out._

_The Hound responded by roaring in her face again and throwing her into the side of one of the buildings that encased them. Suddenly, Hizoku appeared before them, glowing vibrantly with White Chakra._

"_It is not Kaliana who has imprisoned you, Hound. It is I; Hizoku.__"_

_The Hound bounded towards the sword; who floated just outside of the line._

"_**WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS, HIZOKU? WE HAD A DEAL! RELEASE ME, NOW!**__"_

"_I will not! I refuse to allow you to bring harm to the Countries! I will hold you captive with the chains of White Chakra. I will not set you free.__"_

_This infuriated the Hound even more._

"_**AAAUUUGGGHH!!!!! TRECHEROUS BLADE!**__" The Hound swiped out, his long claws brushing through Hizoku's holographic form, and causing it to disappear._

_The Hound then turned his rage back to Kaliana, who was hastily trying to crawl to the other side of the line. The Hound brought his foot down hard on her back and pulled her closer to him._

"_**YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE! IF I CAN NOT REVEAL MY TRUE FORM, THEN I SHALL WRECK MY HAVOC WITH YOUR PUNY BODY INSTEAD!!!!!**__"_

_That said, the Hound let out another vibrating roar, Kaliana caught under his massive foot and unable to move…_

* * *

Kaliana suddenly lunged at Zaku, claws bared. She dug them deep in his neck. Zaku hung there, his feet dangling from the ground. His eyes went wide with horror when he realized what was about to happen.

Kin nearly leapt from her seat when Zaku came crashing through the window, nearly taking the entire side of the house with him. He bounced several times off the pavement before landing on his back. Blood dripped from his neck, nose and mouth. His breathing was labored. He slowly turned his head towards Kin, the fear still fresh in his eyes.

"Oh, no! ZAKU!"

Kin looked over at the house to see Kaliana, perched on what was left of the windowsill. She had torn off her mask and was snarling viciously, two, long fangs dripping blood from their tips. She flared her nostrils.

"**I…smell…blood…**" She hissed in an unfamiliar and terrifying voice. She slowly brought her glowing gaze up to Kin in the tree.

Kin stared fearfully into the hideous eyes that lusted for death.

"Run…" Zaku managed to whisper out. "Run, Kin…run…"

The pain from her monthly menstruation seemed to melt away as fear overtook her. She quickly whirled and bounded away into the darkness of the forest.

The Kaliana Hound roared and hopped out the window; snarling like a ravenous beast in pursuit of its prey.

"No…" Zaku whimpered as he weakly picked himself up. "Kin…"

* * *

Kin ran wildly thought the branches, trying desperately to stay ahead of the beast behind her. But her speed was nothing compared to the monster that pursued her. Within moments, it bounded ahead of her and skidded to a stop, fangs and claws viciously bared.

"Kaliana!" Kin begged. "Kaliana, snap out of it! This isn't like you! Wake up! Please!"

* * *

_Kaliana stirred beneath the Hounds' foot._

"_Wha-…What's going on out there? What're you doing?"_

"_**SHUT UP! I'M TRYING TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN!**__"_

* * *

The Kaliana-beast paid no attention to Kin's pleads for mercy. It lunged, burying its fangs deep in her neck. The two of them tumbled out of the tree. Kaliana landed hard on Kin's chest, her teeth still firmly grasping on the girl's neck. Kin's blood squirted from her severed jugular vein.

Zaku stopped short upon witnessing Kaliana release her grip, and Kin lying on the ground…dead.

"No…" Zaku gasped, eyes wide with utter shock. "How…could you?"

Kaliana straightened herself out and turned slightly, noticing Zaku from the corner of her glowing, black eye.

"HOW COULD YOU!?" Zaku shouted, tears streaming down his face as he mourned the loss of his partner. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR THAT!"

Zaku lunged blindly. Kaliana simply stood there, waiting for her prey to come closer. Zaku lashed out; Kaliana caught his arm. She pulled him close, staring into his angry, frightened eyes. She brought her free hand back; claws extended and plunged them into his stomach.

Kabuto lifted his head when he heard a painful cry from several yards ahead.

"Oh, no…" He dashed forward, not knowing what horrific scene lay before him.

The Kaliana-Hound turned when she felt she was being watched again. Kabuto stood there, eyes wide. Kin was lying near a tree, dead from a deep neck wound as well as a broken back and sternum. Kaliana pulled her clawed hand free of Zaku's stomach, leaving him to drop at her feet, his intestines spilling on the forest floor. Kaliana then turned to Kabuto; blood running from the corners of her mouth and blood and flesh coating her hands. She snarled at Kabuto and took a step towards him.

"Wha…what did…you do here?" He stammered out, still in shock.

The Kaliana Hound lowered her head and growled deeply in her throat. She attacked in the blink of an eye.

* * *

"_**AH…THE DELICIOUS TASTE OF BLOOD! IT'S BEEN TOO LONG!**_"

"_Taste of blood? What're you talking about!? What're you doing in my body!?" Kaliana began to squirm under the Hound's foot. "YOU BASTARD! YOU'RE HURTING PEOPLE! STOP IT! LET ME GO RIGHT NOW!"_

"_**QUIET!**__" The Hound ordered, applying more pressure to his prisoner below._

"_NO!" Kaliana snapped back, wriggling even more. "HOW DARE YOU USE MY BODY TO HURT PEOPLE!? YOU NASTY MUTT! LET ME GO!"_

* * *

Kabuto managed to squeeze himself tightly between two boulders. Kaliana had slashed open his cheek and ripped his shirt during her sudden attack, but Kabuto luckily had found safety between the boulders; the Kaliana Hound roaring loudly and trying anxiously to grab him out, reaching into the tiny space and gripping at the shirt with the blood-tipped claws of her gloved right hand.

_Lord Orochimaru!_ Kabuto called desperately in his mind. _If there were ever I time I needed you the most; it's now! The Hound has awakened!_

Orochimaru seemed to have heard his right-hand mans' telepathic plea. He covered his left eye and formed a handseal with his other hand. He whispered an incantation to himself. A vein popped from his forehead as he struggled to gain control of Kaliana. He groaned with pain as he continued to try. His eye closed tighter as he fought uselessly for control. Blood began to ooze from his empty socket as his futile attempts continued.

* * *

"_**QUIT SQUIRMING! YOU'RE MAKING ME LOSE CONCENTRATION!**__" The Hound roared at Kaliana angrily._

"_QUIT HURTING PEOPLE!" Kaliana shouted back._

Kabuto was in real trouble now. Kaliana had used her claws to chip away most of the rock. She could reach him now. She cocked her hand back and prepared to plunge her claws through Kabuto's heart.

"_**DON'T WORRY, GIRL! THIS MAN'S DEATH WILL BE AS QUICK AS THE OTHER TWO!" **__The Hound laughed._

"_OH, NO YOU DON'T!" Kaliana managed to bite down hard on the Hound's foot, causing him to roar in pain._

* * *

Kabuto was both surprised and relieved when Kaliana suddenly latched her fangs onto her own hand just before plunging it into his chest. Blood ran from her limb as she bit down harder. Her eyes began to flicker, fading from the evil black to the normal green.

_What is this? Could she be fighting for control? Is she fighting the Hound?_

* * *

"_**AAAUUURRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!**__" The hound roared painfully, lifting his foot and trying to shake Kaliana off. "__**YOU WRETCHED LITTLE BITCH! LET GO OF ME! HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT MY HUNT!!!!**__"_

_Kaliana stayed firmly latched to the Hound's foot, biting him ferociously._

"_THIS IS MY BODY YOU BASTARD! I REFUSE TO LET YOU KILL ANYONE ELSE! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KILL ANYMORE!"_

* * *

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KILL ANYMORE!" Kaliana screamed, tears running down her cheeks.

Kabuto couldn't believe his eyes. She truly was fighting the Hound to regain control over her body. As she pulled herself away from the boulders, he squeezed out of the tiny confined space, and watched as the battle for control ceased. Kaliana's eyes changed back to normal, and she fainted.

* * *

_Finally, the Hound managed to kick Kaliana free, sending her over the DO NOT CROSS line. She slowly sat up, leaning against a wall, panting heavily._

"_**AUGH! YOU MADE ME LOSE CONTROL, YOU WITCH! I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!**"_

_The Hound lunged, but was held back once again by the chain. With a groan, he sat down in the alley, tail swaying to and fro irritably; his fangs bared._

"_**I WILL GAIN CONTROL AGAIN! AND WHEN I DO, I WILL NOT PLAY AROUND; I WILL TAKE HIZOKU AND PLUNGE IT THROUGH YOUR WRETCHED HEART! THEN I SHALL BE FREE TO KILL ALL I WANT!**"_

_Suddenly, a green light illuminated the dark backstreets. An eye appeared before them; reptilian-like in appearance. It blinked and looked at Kaliana._

* * *

Kabuto jumped back fearfully when Kaliana's eyes shot open, but he relaxed when he realized it was only Orochimaru possessing Kali's body.

"Kabuto…what has happened?" He asked, confused.

"It was the Hound. It is awake, my Lord. It nearly killed me."

"I felt something was terribly wrong. I tried to control her sooner, but I couldn't. The Hound must've been preventing me from doing so. Tell me, did she regain control herself?"

"Yes sir…she lost consciousness in doing so…it was…amazing."

"Hmm…this isn't good..."

"Now, what do we do?" Kabuto asked, concerned. "She's uncontrollable now. Should we bring her back to the Sound Village?"

"No…that will cause her acquaintances to become suspicious. Renew the Memory Seal Jutsu. Erase everything from this night. She must not recall what has happened. And because the Hound is a part of her, its memory should be affected as well…at least I hope."

"It sounds risky, Lord Orochimaru. Are you sure you want that done?"

"We don't have much of a choice, now do we? We're going to do it differently this time. Perform the handseals and apply it to her head. Now that I'm in control, I shall distribute it evenly between her and the Hound. I'm not sure how long it will last, but hopefully it will last long enough to buy us some time. We still have 5 days left." Orochimaru stopped to release a big sigh. "And when you're done, I need you here. I think I gave myself an aneurysm."

Kabuto, having already performed the handseals, approached Kaliana and touched her forehead.

* * *

_The green eye sparked and zapped the Hound with what appeared to be some kind of green chakra. The Hound roared painfully and lost consciousness. The eye then turned to Kaliana._

"_All that has happened here…was a dream. And nothing more." It hissed._

_Kaliana looked at the eye questionably. "Who are you?"_

"_A dream…" It repeated. "Now wake up!"_

_Everything flashed green._

* * *

Kaliana's eyes shot open as she sprang up from her bed, throwing the covers on the floor. She looked outside. It was morning. She looked around her room. With the exception of the glass on her floor, everything seemed normal. She drew a complete blank of her actions from the previous night. She did not remember anything…but Hizoku did.

"_Kaliana…get out of bed now…something terrible has happened. And I think I may have witnessed who is behind it all…_"

**End of Chapter 21/End of ACT VII**


	8. ACT VIII Interrogation Sensation!

**_Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction_ **

_**ACT VIII: Interrogation Sensation! Return to the Cloud Village!**_

_**CH. 22 "There's a Blockage in My Noggin"**_

* * *

Neji and TenTen glanced up at the mid-morning sun. They had arrived on time for training, only to find a note from their Sensei telling them to begin without him. Apparently, Kaliana had NOT arrived at all, and he'd gone in search of her. TenTen shifted uneasily as she tossed some shuriken at a dead log; the weapons digging deep into the bark with its usual accuracy.

"Why is Gai Sensei so intent on knowing Kaliana's constant whereabouts?" She wondered out loud. "I mean, he acts like she's a felon or something!"

"I know." Neji agreed, leaning against a tree and keeping his eyes down. "He never gets like this when one of us are late for training."

Suddenly, Shikamaru and Kiba burst through the bushes, completely demolishing the stump TenTen was practicing on, and sending her weapons scattering about the forest floor. The boys didn't seem to even notice Gai's two-man squad and dashed right passed them.

"Hey!" TenTen yelled. "What's the big idea charging around like that?"

Finally noticing them, Kiba turned and trotted back towards TenTen, Shikamaru panting close behind him.

"Hey, guys! Sorry we didn't see you. Have you seen Kaliana anywhere?" Kiba asked, slumping over and wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Not since yesterday." Neji answered. "Gai had sent her home…"

"HOME!" Shikamaru shouted, shaking Kiba's shoulder. "She's at home! Let's go!"

"Right!" That said, both boys disappeared from where they had entered, leaving behind a trail of disturbed leaves floating in the breeze.

The Genin watched silently until the last leaf fluttered back to earth. It was finally TenTen who broke the silence.

"Is it just me or has everybody gone crazy since Kaliana got here?"

"No…I wouldn't say that exactly…"

Naruto suddenly came crashing down to the ground from the high tree branches above, much to Neji and TenTen's surprise. He slowly picked up his head and looked about frantically.

"Where'd Kiba and Shikamaru go? I know I heard them!" Naruto could say nothing more, as a large man leapt from the branches where he'd just fallen from and grabbed the young boy by the broken chain that dangled from his waist.

"You're coming with me, Naruto! We haven't tapped into your red chakra yet, let alone finish training! Once we're done, you can go pester whoever you want!" Jiraiya said tiredly as he dragged the flailing boy away.

"NO!" Naruto struggled, digging his fingernails into the earth. "LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON'T WANT TO TRAIN WITH YOU! NEJI, TENTEN! HELP ME!!!" His cries disappeared as he was pulled into the bushes and out of sight.

Neji crossed his arms and tilted his head curiously, feeling TenTen's hard gaze upon him.

"Well…" He started. "Maybe things have gotten a little weirder since Kaliana came here…"

* * *

Kaliana sat naked in her shower, the steaming hot water raining down on her head and then running down her back. Her knees, she held tightly against her chest, while her hair cascaded around her like a waterfall of silver webs. She had scrubbed her hands raw, but try as she might, she just couldn't rid herself of the wretched scent of blood that lingered from the night before.

"I…can't believe…I killed people…" She whispered to herself, leaning her head back and allowing the scalding hot water to pound her face and wash away the tears.

She hadn't allowed Hizoku to finish telling her exactly what had happened last night. Once she was informed that she caused the death of 2 people, she just couldn't bear to hear the rest. Hizoku, though, had retained most of the happenings, as Kaliana was only a mere 3 miles away when she killed the boy and girl.

"_Kaliana, you shouldn't feel so bad…" _Hizoku tried to comfort her. _"You should be proud of yourself. You bravely battled the Hound and took control before anymore damage could be done."_

"I…killed…2…people…" Kaliana stressed, angry that her sword disregarded those peoples' lives so coldly.

_"They were not as innocent as they seemed…"_

"I don't want to hear it, Hizoku! Please, stop it."

_"If you do not want to listen, then look."_

Kaliana slowly turned her head towards the transparent shower door, which was covered with steam. Instantly, as though someone was running their finger along the condensation, a symbol appeared; the symbol for the Sound Village. Kaliana gasped and pushed herself as far away from the door as possible, keeping her eyes locked on the Sound symbol, which was already beginning to lose form as new steam engulfed it.

"That…symbol…" Kaliana stammered nervously.

_"It was that mark that infuriated you so…that mark which initiated the Hounds' awakening…and it was that mark that both people sported on their brows…the ones you killed. Kaliana…there is a reason for it…and I believe it has something to do with the 3 missing years of your life."_

Kaliana stared intently at the disappearing symbol.

"Do you think those people who were in my room a few days ago have something to with this?"

A sudden knock at the door broke Kaliana's concentration. She hastily turned off the water and huddled herself tightly against the wall of the shower.

_Go away… _She thought to herself weakly. _Leave me alone…_

Gai looked over at Kaliana's window from the porch. It was shattered completely. He poked his head in and peered around. He shook his head at the mess.

_Whoa…what in the world happened in here? I mean, I know she's accident prone, but this is ridiculous!_

"Kaliana?" He called softly.

Kaliana didn't respond, nor did she have plans to. She sighed with relief as she heard his footsteps fade.

* * *

Shikamaru and Kiba peered from behind the apartment, making absolutely certain that Gai had left. Once they felt safe, both quickly ran to the stoop and flung the door open, tumbling over each other inside.

Kaliana jumped to her feet upon hearing someone enter the house.

_Oh no…not again!_

She hastily snagged a towel and slowly crept towards her bedroom door, flattening herself against the wall. The door flew open. In a desperate attempt of self-defense, Kaliana lashed out with her leg, clipping one of the offenders in the throat. With a painful choke, followed by a thud, the 1st trespasser was defeated. Kaliana exploded from her hiding place, ready to abolish the next intruder with the table lamp she held tightly in her hands.

"**Kaliana, wait!"** Shikamaru begged as he drew back. **"It's me!"**

Kaliana stopped dead in her tracks.

"Shikamaru? Good Lord… you look like crap!"

"Of course I do! I've been sleeping in the barn the past four nights! I don't have a bed anymore thanks to you!"

"Oh, yeah…" Kali's eyes wandered to the ground where her cousin lay gasping for air. "Kiba! Oops… What-…" She quickly tossed the lamp aside. "What are you guys doing here, again?"

"We're here to help you figure this out! I told Kiba and we're both here to solve this weird mystery of yours…" Shikamaru stopped when he finally noticed that Kaliana was in nothing but a mere towel. "I suggest you put some clothes on first."

Hizoku couldn't help but once again spout its own snarky opinion in regards to the awkward situation. _"I've lost count…how many guys have seen you naked since you got here?"_

Kaliana growled at the sword's comment as she withdrew sheepishly into the bedroom. Just before she disappeared behind the door, she mouthed to her cousin a most sincere apology while Kiba merely glared harshly at her as he struggled to his feet.

* * *

Pein lifted his eyes as the familiar sound of a raven pierced the silence of the dark Akatsuki castle. The large, black bird landed on his desk and hopped over to him, cawing loudly. Pein noticed a message on the bird's leg. He slowly removed it and read it aloud.

"'_The Legend is true. We will wait for the right moment to strike. The girl will be delivered to you in a few days.'_" Pein smiled to himself as he folded the massage and set it down. "_Excellent._" He turned to the raven. "_Be gone. Return only when they have captured her._"

The bird gave one final caw, then hopped off the desk and took flight out the window from which it came. Pein closed his eyes and gave a content sigh.

_"That Chakra…that powerful, unstoppable Black Chakra...There's no doubt about it. I must have it. It will be in the custody of Akatsuki soon enough…where it belongs…"_ He ran his fingers along the wall, which depicted an artistic rendition of a massive, strange-shaped mechanical device…

* * *

Shikamaru and Kiba listened intently to Kaliana's tale of the previous night.

"And then, I killed 2 people…but, apparently, I fought the Hound for control and won."

"Then what happened?" Kiba pressed.

"I…I don't know. I woke up in bed. I don't remember a thing about last night to tell you the truth. I'm just repeating what Hizoku told me. For some reason, it remembers, but I don't. It's like…someone doesn't want me to remember."

"But who?" Shikamaru inquired eagerly.

"Not sure…but Hizoku thinks it may have something to do with this symbol." She grabbed her Phat Pen and a piece of paper. Once the drawing was complete, she handed it to Shikamaru.

Kiba leaned over and examined the drawing as well. "Hey…isn't that the symbol for the Sound Village?" He asked, pulling the paper from Shikamaru's hands.

Kaliana groaned and gripped her head painfully as the words 'Sound Village' penetrated her brain. Shikamaru, picking up on his friend's obvious discomfort, leapt to his feet.

"That's it! This all has something to do with the Sound Vill…"

"Stop saying that!" Kaliana interrupted.

"I'm sorry, but it's true. Someone from…that place…doesn't want you to remember certain things. They must've put some kind of…Mental Block Jutsu on you or something."

"Mental Block Jutsu? Is that a real Jutsu or are you just making it up?" Kaliana asked suspiciously.

"It's possible…I'm not really sure." Shikamaru suddenly lifted his head as an idea formed. "But I know someone who might be able to help us! Come on!"

Kiba shrugged and followed the strangely excited Shikamaru out of the house. Kaliana grabbed Hizoku, swung it on her back, and followed eagerly behind.

* * *

"Now…run that by me again?" Ino cocked her head in confusion.

Shikamaru sighed and rolled his eyes. "Alright…this is my friend, Kaliana." Kaliana lifted her hand to give a friendly wave from behind Shika. "She's having…difficulty remembering some things about her past and we were wondering if you'd be so kind as to use your Mind Transfer Jutsu to see if there's anything unusual in her head…like a blockage."

Ino stared blankly, unsure of this odd request. Kaliana shoved Shikamaru aside and leaned in Ino's face.

"Look, all we need you to do is poke around inside my noggin and see if you can find anything weird."

Ino ascended an eyebrow. "I don't know you, but even so, I don't have to poke around your noggin to know that there's definitely something weird about you."

Kaliana gave an annoyed grunt, furrowing her brows with agitation. Shikamaru gently pushed her aside, and with his hands clasped together, he looked pleadingly into Ino's eyes.

"Ino, please? This is really important."

Ino rolled her eyes and finally relented. "Fine." Making a square with her hands, she closed her eyes and focused on Kaliana. "Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

* * *

_Kaliana's mind was indeed a vacant and dreary place. Ino shuddered as she peered around the dark allies. A line directly in front of her marked "Do Not Cross" seemed to glow in the faded city that was Kaliana's subconscious. The growling on the other side of the line deterred Ino from overstepping the boundary. Instead, she glanced to her right. There, she noticed what appeared to be an alley; the entrance sealed up with a large fence topped with barbed wire. A sign reading "PRIVATE! Do Not Enter" completed the scene. Ino approached the gate, which was wrapped with a chain and topped off with a padlock._

_"This is it…this must be where her Memory is blocked."_

_Upon closer inspection, Ino noticed the chain and lock were rusty. Slowly, she reached for the lock and pulled. Some of the rust chipped away. Ino could feel that this forbidden zone was weak. She pulled again. The chain cracked. Encouraged, she pulled harder._

* * *

Shikamaru and Kiba watched the scene intently. Ino's body was slumped over. Kaliana's eyes were closed as Ino's mind searched within the realms of Kali's subconscious.

"She's been in there for a while…" Kiba murmured. "I wonder if she really found something."

"I don't know. I hope everything's ok…"

Shikamaru stopped short. Both boys brought their eyes up to the furious form that rose up behind Kaliana's body.

"**THERE YOU ARE!!!!!!**" Sakura roared as she cocked back her balled-up fist and stuck a painful blow on the back of Kaliana's skull.

* * *

_Ino grinned as the chain was loosened enough for her to squeeze through the gate. But just as she readied herself to explore the mysterious alley, a sudden force knocked her away from the forbidden zone. It seemed as though an earthquake had formed in Kaliana's mind. Ino found herself flying from Kaliana's subconscious and smashing back into her own body…_

* * *

Ino's now conscious body flew backwards with a powerful force. Kaliana, meanwhile, was knocked flat on her face from Sakura's blow. Slowly, she got up and turned, rubbing her head.

"OW! Jeez! What was that for?!" She hissed, checking her hand to make sure she wasn't bleeding.

"**THAT WAS FOR MAKING ME SIT IN THAT DAMN HOLE FOR 4 DAYS!!!! THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS WHITE CHAKRA REMNANTS, ARE THERE?!**" Sakura exploded.

Kaliana sat up, holding in a chuckle. "It took you 4 whole days to figure that out?" She snickered. "And here I thought you were the smart one!"

Sakura prepared to oblige Kaliana with some more punches, but was unexpectedly tackled to the ground by Ino.

"**THANKS A LOT, BILLBOARD BROW! WE WERE DOING SOMETHING, AND YOU SCREWED IT UP!!**"

"Ino…did you find anything?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah, I did! An area in her mind that was blocked off! And I would've been able to see what was inside if it weren't for Pinky and her Monster Forehead! But, I did manage to weaken it…OW!!!"

Ino found herself on the ground as Sakura struck back with her own tackle. "**YOU'VE GOT SOME NERVE ATTACKING ****ME****, INO PIG!**"

"**I'LL SHOW ****YOU**** AN ATTACK, FAT HEAD!**"

"**BRING IT ON, SWINE!**"

As Ino and Sakura attacked each other like a couple of noisy Tasmanian devils, Kaliana sighed and wrinkled her nose distastefully.

"Well, this was a waste of time. Yes, I have a mental blockage; we already knew that! What we need is someone who can see my mind in a scientific point of view, not a metaphorical one."

"Well then, I know just the person!" Kiba gleamed. "Follow me."

Shikamaru and Kaliana, out of sheer desperation, followed; leaving Sakura and Ino to beat the hell out of each other.

* * *

Naruto yanked at the new heavy-duty chain Jiraiya had christened his waist with. He moaned with quiet desperation as he kicked at the enormous redwood he was tied to. Jiraiya paced in front of him, seemingly pleased.

"Alright Naruto. Now that we've finally tapped into your red Chakra…"

"By throwing me off a cliff!" Naruto growled. "Kaliana would've found an easier and safer way to do it!"

"Well, my way worked, didn't it?" He turned away to take in his surroundings. "You've successfully summoned Gambunta the Toad King, and you didn't need that girl's help to do it either. Now, we can work on our next lesson. Do you know what that is Naruto?"

There was no response from the knuckleheaded ninja.

"Naruto?" Jiraiya turned to see the chain hanging from the tree, one of the links broken. "DAMN IT! Little sneak got away again! Jeez, I need electric fencing and a cattle prod to keep this kid from escaping! **NARUTO! GET BACK HERE!**"

**End of Chapter 22**

* * *

**CH. 23 "She's Gone?!"**

--------------------------------------

Shikamaru and Kiba watched eagerly as Hinata scanned Kaliana's brain with her Byakugan. Hinata focused particularly on the right side of Kaliana's head.

"Hmmm…that's strange." She whispered in her usual bashful tone, shifting uneasily in her hospital bed.

"What is it?" Kaliana questioned, keeping still so Hinata wouldn't lose her place.

"I see…a blockage of some kind…in the memory center of your brain. It's like…well…umm…"

"Like what?" Kiba pressed. "Tell us."

"Uh…well, it's sort of like…someone blocked a chakra point…in her brain."

"IN her brain?" Shikamaru asked, a bit suspicious. "How is that possible?"

"I…don't know." Hinata answered.

"Can you use your Byakugan to unblock it?" Kaliana asked.

"No." Hinata answered simply. "I don't know how it was possible that someone did this…maybe through surgery or something…" She disabled her Byakugan and blushed. "I'm sorry. That's all I know."

"Thanks, Hinata. You've been a big help." Kiba smiled at his partner.

"I wish…I could've been more helpful." Hinata sighed, her cheeks burning.

"A chakra point blocked in the brain, huh?" Rock Lee inquired from his own bed.

Shika, Kiba and Kali snapped their heads towards him hopefully.

"You know something Lee?" Kaliana asked as she anxiously flew to his bed.

Lee stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. "I've heard of this one Forbidden Jutsu. It's called the Memory Seal. Only certain ninjas with a gift for Medical jutsus or those with a high chakra level can perform it."

"I have a high chakra level! Maybe I can unblock it!" Kaliana said hopefully.

"I'm afraid it doesn't quite work that way." Lee sighed. "You see, the only way to unblock a Memory Seal Jutsu is to have the person who initially performed it to take it away. That is, if it were performed accurately to start with."

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked.

"The Memory Seal is a very sensitive and difficult Jutsu; it's quite easy to mess it up. If the Memory Seal was done inaccurately, then it should fade with time, if no one renews it, that is."

Kaliana's face was unusually stern and focused. She nodded, placing her hand on Lee's.

"Thank you, Lee. You too, Hinata." That said, Kaliana left without another word, Shikamaru and Kiba following close behind. Once outside, Kaliana stopped, her head down.

"I've got a job to do, you guys." She said in a serious tone. "I need to find out EXACTLY who's behind all of this."

"We want to help you." Shikamaru announced.

"That's right." Kiba agreed. "Just tell us what to do."

Kaliana glanced at her boys and smiled gently. "You guys really wanna help? Alright. Capture and question the Sand ninjas; Gaara and the other two. They know things about me."

"Gaara?" Kiba shuddered. "I mean, we won't have too much trouble with the other two…but Gaara?"

"If you can get to Gaara before tomorrow night, he'll answer your questions, I know he will. But after then, it'll be too late. The White Chakra I gave him will have run its course by then, and his demon will be awake."

"Wait a minute…" Shikamaru threw his hands in the air. "Where are YOU going?"

Kaliana growled in her throat. "Back to the Cloud Village. That girl…she knows what's going on. I know she does. I'll get some answers out of her, and you get some answers out of the Sand ninjas. I'll be back on the day of the Chunin exams. No later, I promise."

"The Cloud Village?" Kiba questioned. "Do you know how far that is?"

"You'll never make it there and back in time! Like Kiba said; it's too far away!" Shikamaru added.

Kaliana reached over and rubbed Hizoku's blade. "We'll get there…and come back…in 5 days, won't we Hizoku?"

The sword glowed brightly, causing Kaliana to glow as well. Kiba and Shikamaru watched in wonder as Kaliana levitated before them. The whole dreamy scene was quickly interrupted as Naruto exploded from the bushes and tackled Kaliana to the ground.

"Take me with you!" He pleaded, latched on to her waist.

"**NARUTO!?**" Kiba, Kali and Shika snapped in unison.

"Get lost, moron!" Kiba growled.

"Yeah! You don't even know what's going on!" Shikamaru added.

"I do to!" Naruto jumped to his feet, allowing Kaliana to pick herself up as well. "I heard you guys talking in the alley! I know everything! And I wanna help Kaliana too!"

"You were listening in on us!?" Shikamaru roared.

"That conversation was classified!" Kiba agreed. "You little rat, you had no right!"

"Well, that doesn't matter now!" Naruto argued. "I'm just as much a part of this as you guys are! And I wanna go to the Cloud Village with Kaliana!"

"Naruto! You have to stay here and train!" Kaliana groaned.

"We can train together on the way there!" Naruto begged. "I won't hold you back, honest, I won't! Please, take me with you, Kaliana Sensei, please? Oh, please, please, please!"

"OH ALRIGHT ALREADY!" Kaliana relented in frustration.

"Yeah!" Naruto cheered, throwing his arms once again around Kaliana's waist and hugging tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Ugh…is she serious?" Shikamaru groaned with distaste.

"She is so going to regret that later…" Kiba shuddered.

Kaliana turned to her sword. "Can we still fly? Even with the, uh…extra baggage?"

_"Hmm? Oh, yeah sure, whatever…can I have some of his chakra?"_

"What?!" Kaliana gasped. "Where'd THAT come from?"

_"His chakra…oh, I've never sensed anything like it! It's so wild and powerful…I need it! I want it! Please, let me take some…"_

"NO! Jeez, Hizoku! Have some self-control!" Kaliana scolded, rolling her eyes. "You're acting like a crack fiend!"

_"Ugh…the temptation is overpowering…but I will try to control myself. Now then, with two people flying, we'll have to take off a little differently, so pay attention…"_

Okay. Kaliana responded in her head. Lay it on me…

The sword glowed again, causing both Kaliana and Naruto, who was still attached to her waist, to glow as well. Naruto awed in wonder as he felt his feet leaving the ground.

"Wow! Hey, are we gonna fly there?"

"Of course." Kaliana answered calmly, try to concentrate.

"Sweet!" He brought his gaze down to Kiba and Shikamaru, who watched the two of them with malicious jealousy as he and Kaliana ascended. "Catch you guys later!" Naruto called in a teasing tone, sticking his tongue out at them in the process.

In an instant, a chakra barrier-bubble was formed around the two of them. Naruto peered down the through the transparent 'floor'; awed by the earth below.

"Wow, cool!" He leaned against the side of the bubble; throwing the entire thing off balance and causing them to roll through the sky like a giant cue ball.

Kiba and Shikamaru watched below; confused.

"Are they _supposed_ to be rolling around like that?" Kiba asked.

"Judging by their muffled screams…no." Shikamaru answered sarcastically.

_"For heavens' sake, will you tell him to sit still?!"_ Hizoku snapped irritably, not liking the aerial roller coaster ride anymore then its passengers.

"Naruto, would it kill you to stay in one spot?! You're throwing us off balance!" Kaliana pleaded as she crashed and banged against the sides of the barrier.

Kiba and Shika watched as the bubble finally ceased tumbling about and disappeared into the clouds of the dusky sky.

Kiba nudged Shika's shoulder. "How long do you think it'll be before she throws Naruto out of the bubble for being so annoying?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Depends on how long the bubble lasts before Kaliana plows it into a mountain."

* * *

**The Next Day…**

Kabuto stumbled into Orochimaru's chambers. "Lord Orochimaru, I came as fast as I could…" He panted out. "What's the emergency?"

Orochimaru casually glanced up from his seat and motioned for Kabuto to come closer. "Yes…this clue…I don't understand it. Enlighten me, if you can."

"…That's the emergency? Oh…I thought you were experiencing some kind of neurological side effects due to the other night…"

Orochimaru groaned and rubbed his temples tiredly. "No…you got to me just in time. But, I don't think I could survive another attempt at interfering between Kaliana and the Hound."

Kabuto nodded in agreement and leaned over to read the clue. "The Seal that Disguises the Right, Least they Know it Does Not Exist…" Kabuto leaned back and closed his eyes. "Disguises the Right, Least they Know it Does Not Exist…I think it means the glove on Kaliana's right hand."

Orochimaru thought for a moment, then nodded. "Ah, yes! The right hand…the one the sword took as a sacrifice. What symbol was on that glove we gave her to hide that appalling appendage of hers?"

Kabuto reminisced about the other night; Kaliana had trapped him between two boulders and was reaching for him with her right hand. The symbol on the glove was shoved just inches from his face. He grinned as it became clear in his mind.

_"Dragon."_ He said aloud.

The handseal for Dragon appeared on the scroll. A new clue was revealed, and a Black Chakra flame was released. But to Orochimaru's surprise, it simply floated there.

"It's not moving." Kabuto stated blankly. "Why isn't it moving?"

Orochimaru growled in his throat. "Isn't it obvious, you idiot? **She's gone!**"

"Gone? What do you mean she's gone?"

Orochimaru rolled his eyes and slammed his hand down on the table as he got to his feet. "I mean, she's no longer in the Leaf Village! Kin and Zaku had better be tracking her..."

"Kin and Zaku, sir?" Kabuto questioned nervously. "Oh no…you mean, you don't know?"

"Don't know what?" Orochimaru asked, uncertain as to why he felt his anger was about to boil over.

"She, um…Kaliana killed them, sir…"

"**WHAT!?**" Orochimaru roared, leaping from his seat and nearly throwing over the table with the scroll. "**WHEN THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN?!**"

"Umm…It was the night of her episode. She was killing them when I got there. I thought you knew. I mean, the bodies WERE right there…"

"Okay, let me get this straight." Orochimaru said with a nervous laugh, ignoring Kabuto's last statement. "You're telling me that Kaliana has been unsupervised since the night of her episode…You knew that no one was watching her then, no one is watching her now…and yet, you're standing here?"

Kabuto shifted nervously, knowing he was in trouble. "It was a…poor decision…wasn't it?"

Orochimaru struck Kabuto in the face with an amazing force, knocking off the boy's glasses and sending him hurdling into the wall.

"**WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, YOU WITLESS MORON!?****SHE'S OUT THERE GALLAVANTING TO LORD KNOWS WHERE AND YOU'VE BEEN HERE WASTING TIME KNOWING DAMN WELL SHE HAS NO SUPERVISION?! WHAT PART OF 'SHE NEEDS TO BE WATCHED AT ALL TIMES' DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!**"

"Will you calm down? She couldn't have gone far!" Kabuto tried to defend himself, getting to his feet and putting his now crooked glasses back on. "I'll go find her right now…"

Kabuto stopped short, noticing Orochimaru's mouth slightly agape, evidently lost in thought. Kabuto looked at his boss's face intently. "Lord Orochimaru? Are you alright?"

"Kabuto…was that Sand Orphan ever disposed of?" He asked in a contemplating tone.

"No sir…you never gave the order…wait, you don't think Kaliana has gone back to the Cloud Village to talk to her, do you?"

Orochimaru's stern, angry face answered the question.

"Oh…well, don't worry, my Lord. I'll get there first and finish the girl off before Kaliana has a chance to question her."

Orochimaru simply shook his head. "No, Kabuto…**I** will go to the Cloud Village…you're much to incompetent to be trusted with her anymore." He trapped the floating Chakra Flame in a jar and placed it in his cloak.

"Well, if _you're_ going…what am _I_ to do?" Kabuto asked, a sprinkle of malice in his question.

"You're usefulness seems to be limited to figuring out clues. There's only one left…I do believe you can be trusted to complete a task as simple as that, right?"

"Yes sir." Kabuto moaned as he watched Orochimaru disappear in a blast of smoke. The boy then turned his attention to the final clue, setting aside his anger and putting his focus back on his mission. _"And the 99__th__ Generation Shall Have But One Love. A Love of Gold." _

* * *

Kankuro paced up and down the forest path, waiting for his sister to return. Temari had gone off to train by herself for a while, and was supposed to meet him afterwards. He had arrived too early, so he waited patiently. As he continued his pacing, he couldn't help but feel that he was being watched. He turned slightly to his left and spotted Kiba leaning against a tree, leering at him with malevolence. Kankuro scoffed at the dirty looks.

"What do YOU want, dog-boy?"

Kiba responded with a deep growl. Akamaru, who was at his side, joined his master with the threat, lifting his own lips and revealing his sharp little teeth. Kankuro shifted nervously. After a moment or two, he realized that Kaliana and this Kiba kid had the same last name…they were related. Kankuro swallowed hard and backed up.

"Uh oh…" He whispered to himself; sweat beginning to form on his brow. "W…Why don't you and your dumb mutt take a hike?" He threatened nervously.

"We'll leave…" Kiba started. "…After you tell me what's going on with Kaliana."

Kankuro's fears were confirmed. He prepared to defend himself. "Hey, I don't know anything about her, alright? Now, beat it, or I'll make you leave the hard way!"

Kankuro readied himself to attack. But to his own surprise, he couldn't move a muscle. It didn't take him long at all to know it was Shikamaru holding him under the Shadow Possession Jutsu. Shikamaru glared hard at the back of Kankuro's head.

"We're not going anywhere until you tell us who's behind all of this! Who's trying to control Kaliana by sealing her memory? TELL US!" Shikamaru roared.

"I'm…not…telling you…anything…" Kankuro struggled to regain control over his body.

He looked up to see Kiba standing over him. Without warning, Kiba struck Kankuro in the face with a closed fist, followed by a hit in the gut with his other fist. Kankuro groaned as the pain from the blows set in immediately. He couldn't even slump over in an attempt to suppress the pain, as Shikamaru held him straight and rigid.

"TELL US NOW!" Kiba ordered.

"I don't know anything!" Kankuro snapped again, gritting his teeth. "I was never a part of her training in the Sand Village! I wasn't told anything! Temari was the one who battled her, not me!"

"That's NOT what we asked you!" Shikamaru growled from behind. "Who was the Sand Village working for? Was it the Sound Village? Are they behind this?"

"I…I don't know!" Kankuro squeaked out.

"He's lying!" Kiba accused as his brought his leg up and struck Kankuro in the face.

Kankuro roared as the pain engulfed his already throbbing face. Kiba then grabbed the back of the Sand ninja's head roughly and pulled hard. He shoved his face in Kankuro's, his slanted eyes staring deeply into Kankuro's painted ones.

"How would you like the utter humiliation of being neutered by a dog?" He threatened, running his hand back and forth, his index and middle finger gently bumped against each other teasingly like the blades of a pair of scissors. He then tossed Akamaru a pair of food pills; the pup snatched them long before they hit the ground. In moments, the little dog doubled in size and snarled, licking his chops. "Now tell us the truth about my cousin, or your generation ends here!" Kiba finished.

"Okay!" Kankuro relented for the sake of keeping his family jewels. "I'll talk! Yes, the Sound Village wanted Kaliana originally, and they still do! Something about a Hound of some kind…I don't really know! All I know is, the Sound Village found her in the Toxic Swamp 2 years after she ran away from the Sand Village. I have no clue what they're planning on doing with her."

Kiba and Shikamaru exchanged suspicious stares for a moment. Kiba returned his gaze to Kankuro.

"What does your sister know about this?"

"A lot more then me." Kankuro panted out. "But you'll never get her to talk. You can torture her all you want; but she'd rather die then tell you anything. Your best bet is talking to Gaara. He knows everything, and he kinda has a thing for her. He'll tell you what you want to know, but I don't know where he is."

Kankuro fell to his knees as Shikamaru dropped his jutsu. Then, he and Kiba turned to leave.

"Hey!" Kankuro called to them, staying slumped over in an attempt to suppress the pain from his beating.

Shika and Kiba stopped and turned slightly as Kankuro slowly lifted his head as high as he could bear.

"The only reason I'm helping…is because I happen to like Kaliana too. She doesn't deserve whatever's being done to her."

The 2 boys locked eyes with Kankuro for a moment, as if transferring a common understanding, then disappeared beyond the treetops. Kankuro got to his feet, rubbing the soreness from his face.

_I hope Gaara crushes them on sight. Nosey bastards…_

* * *

**3 days later**

Kaliana stood tiredly in the chakra-bubble, her eyes closed as she held her aching head. Between Hizoku's pestering to steal Naruto's chakra and Naruto's constant request for bathroom-stops, Kaliana had just about had enough of both of them.

"Kaliana, are we there yet?" Naruto whined, sitting at Kali's feet on the floor of the bubble.

"No." She growled.

After 5 minutes, Naruto bugged again. "Are we there yet?"

"NO!" Kaliana shouted.

"WELL, ARE WE THERE **YET**!?" Naruto retaliated loudly.

"**YES, NARUTO! WE'RE THERE!**" Kaliana exploded.

"Ooh, really?" Naruto eagerly got on knees and peered out the side of the bubble, causing it to roll slightly and almost knock Kaliana over. She grunted and glared at the blue-eyed fox-boy.

Naruto groaned at the sight of trees and fields below. He returned to his seated position. "Aw, we are not, you liar!" He mumbled, crossing his arms like a spoiled child.

Kaliana sighed and hung her head. She, herself couldn't wait to arrive. All the frustrations from the ride there were to be focused on the black-haired girl upon arrival in the Cloud Village. Her thoughts of mangling the lying little wench were once again interrupted by Naruto.

"Kaliana, I have to pee. Could we stop here?"

"Naruto, you peed 30 minutes ago. You can hold it until we get there."

Naruto groaned. He peered around the bubble. He spotted a crumpled Dixie cup from their last stop. He snagged it.

"Can I pee in this?" He asked hopefully.

Kaliana quickly snatched it and burned it in her hand. "Dammit, Naruto, there is **NO** receptacle in the bubble!"

_"Kaliana, let me take some of his chakra. He'll be fine! He's strong…Think about it…it might settle him down."_

"You're not getting this little boys' chakra, Hizoku!"

"Kaliana…"

"**WHAT!?**"

"…are we there yet?"

Kaliana buried her face in her hands. "**Oy.**" She muttered with an exasperated groan.

Obviously bored, Naruto decided to keep himself busy by practicing making chakra fire, which Kaliana had schooled him in during their first 2 days of travel. He folded the sleeve on his jacket and focused. He could feel his skin become hot. Steam rose from his pores while his arm glowed weakly. Then, a tiny spark flickered and faded. He focused even harder. More tiny sparks flickered and licked along his arm before fading away. Kaliana watched from the corner of her eye, a tiny smirk forming beneath her mask. Naruto focused as hard as he could. Instantly, his arm combusted into red, angry flames.

"Wow! Hey, Kaliana, look! I did it! I made fire!"

"Good job, Naruto!" She praised happily. "Now, let's see how long you can hold it."

"Yeah, okay!" Naruto exclaimed, watching the flames dancing along his arm. Slowly, he allowed it to fade away after about 15 seconds, as he began feeling a small amount of burning on his skin. "It hurts a little, but I should get used to that! Man, I can't believe I did it! I'm so gonna beat Neji in the Chunin Exams!"

"Little buddy, you are going to OWN that stadium."

Naruto looked up at Kaliana admiringly. He wrapped his arm around her leg and leaned his head on her thigh.

"I'm happy to be here with you, Sis. Thanks for letting me come along."

Kaliana looked down at the young boy with deep sincerity. She placed her hand on top of his head and ran her fingers through his spiky hair.

"No problem, Naruto. I'm happy to have you here with me."

Suddenly, all of Naruto's shuriken and kunai knives flew out of his pocket and attached tightly to Kaliana's belt.

"Whoa…" Kaliana mumbled. "That's abnormal."

"Yeah…" Naruto agreed. "What happened?"

_"The magnetic pull on your belt seems to have increased." Hizoku informed. __"We must be nearing some sort of strong electrical magnetic force. It should wear off momentarily."_

"Ah, okay then." Kaliana shrugged. "Don't worry, Naruto, you'll get your weapons back in a minute. This area makes my magnetic belt stronger for some reason."

"Hmm." Naruto shrugged.

Suddenly, the magnetic pull yanked Naruto's forehead right onto her belt and burying his face directly in a very uncomfortable spot. Kaliana's body stiffened rigidly, afraid to move a muscle.

"That would be the metal plate on your headband." She stated dryly, trying so hard not to look at Naruto, who didn't seem to object to his awkward placement.

"Well…" His muffled voice started. "This has been an educational trip…"

"Naruto…please…don't…talk." She squeaked, cringing with every word.

The chakra-bubble suddenly jerked forward, breaking the magnetic hold and knocking both ninjas on their knees.

"Whoa! What the hell was that?" Kaliana questioned as her wits slowly returned. "Did it get windy all of a sudden?"

"Look at those clouds!" Naruto pointed to the dark, angry clouds ahead. "They're storm clouds! I can see lightning!"

"And we're drifting right into them!" Kali added, slinking back.

The two embraced, their screams filling the entire bubble, which was drifting quickly into the dense, black clouds ahead. Just before entering the demonic mass, the wind struck again, blowing the bubble under the storm clouds. Their terrified wails continued at lightning bolts began striking the bubble. The lightning ricocheted off the barrier, causing the bubble to bounce between bolts, the ride inside being very bumpy and uncomfortable as the passengers were tossed around like hacky-sacks.

"Hi…zo…ku!" Kaliana called, her voice bouncing as much as she was. "Do-oo some…thing! Get us out of this sto-orm!"

_"Yes…the storm…I'll get us out…but first, can I have some of his chakra? Please?"_

"Chakra? You're thinking about stealing Naruto's chakra at a time like this?!?! HELL NO!! You're NOT getting his chakra! Just drop it okay?"

_"Drop it? Okay."_

Both Naruto and Kaliana sat stunned as the bubble around them disappeared. They'd become instantly aware of the terror to follow.

"Kaliana…?" Naruto whimpered, afraid to look down. "I don't have to pee anymore."

Kaliana's eyes shifted downward at the 32,000 feet of empty space below them. "Oh shi…**AAHH**!!!!"

The two plunged out of the sky towards the earth below, their calls fading as they plummeted. During their fall, they had parted, and now, Naruto was falling faster then Kaliana was. Noticing her friend was in grave danger, Kaliana flipped herself until she was nose-diving towards the ground. She quickly caught up with Naruto, grabbed him, flipped him on his back, then managed to position herself beneath him.

"Kaliana! What're you doing?!" Naruto questioned in a frenzy.

"Breaking your fall! Between Hizoku and the chakra I focus in my back, I can make it so the impact won't hurt me as much! But, I won't let you get hurt! I promise!"

Naruto's eyes softened. "You'd…really do that for me?"

"Of course I would!" Kaliana placed her scarred left hand on Naruto's scarred right hand. "Blood brothers, remember?"

Naruto smiled warmly as a single tear escaped from his eye and disappeared into the oblivion of the endless sky. He brought his left hand to his mouth and bit down on his index finger, drawing blood.

"What're you doing?" Kaliana question in a panic.

"Saving us." He answered simply. Tipping his fingers in blood, he performed a series of handseals. "**SUMMONING JUTSU!**"

**End of Chapter 23**

* * *

_**CH. 24 "A Tale of Two Kaliana's"**_

------------------------------------------------

Kuriochi cautiously sniffed around the outside of the house. The scents confused him. Kaliana, the blood of other people, and the sweat of other people were perplexing to the tiny gray insectivore. What happened here the last several days? He hadn't returned home since those strange men were searching Kaliana's room, and now, Kaliana was gone.

"Kuri kuri…" Kuriochi squeaked worriedly to himself.

He scampered around the bushes for a moment, searching for any clues he could find. Some shards of wood and glass tipped with blood could be found among the crackling leaves. Kuriochi crept from the bushes and hopped on the windowsill. He squeezed through the tiny hole in the window and hopped on the floor, which was still covered with glass. He sniffed the ground. The faded scent of a man was there, the scent being similar to the blood on the shards beneath the bush. Kuriochi twitched his nose. Someone was in the room at that moment. He flicked an ear and tried to scurry under the bed. He was shocked with fright when a large jar was dropped over him, trapping him inside. He attempted to release a puff of orange confusion dust, but the powder stayed inside the jar with him, clouding his vision to the outside of the jar, where a pair of feet approached him. He was picked up off the ground, flipped, and completely contained within the jar as it was sealed with an airtight lid. The dust cleared in the jar, and Kuriochi found himself face to face with Kisame. The shark-faced man grinned as he held up his prize.

"I knew you'd return sooner or later." Kisame hissed. "Little rat."

He shook the jar viciously, causing Kuriochi to bang against the sides, top and bottom of the tiny, constricting prison. Kisame ceased the torture and pulled the jar closer to his face.

"You won't have a chance to tell that girl about us, you wretched rodent. Itachi has a special plan for you." That said, Kisame and the trapped Kuriochi disappeared in a blast of smoke.

* * *

Naruto and Kaliana closed their eyes tightly, preparing for a painful landing. Just 12 feet from hitting the ground, they were suddenly struck by something long and slimy, then yanked into what appeared to be a dark, wet cave. They were now in the mouth of Gambunta, the giant toad!

Kaliana squirmed in the slimy depths of the amphibious saliva. "Naruto?"

After a cautious silence, Naruto responded. "Kaliana…are you alright?"

"I…I think so…Where the hell are we? It's all warm and moist…are we in a giant vagina?"

__

"Nice."

"Close…we're in the mouth of a giant toad!" Naruto answered with a laugh.

"What?! EW! GROSS! How'd we get here?"

"It's my Summoning Jutsu!" Naruto cheered. "That pervy sage was good for _something_!"

The toad suddenly threw its head back, moving his victims towards his throat with his tongue. Kaliana panicked. "**Good Lord, it's swallowing us**!"

"**HEY, GAMBUNTA!" **Naruto shouted, gripping onto the fleshy bumps of the toad's tongue. **"WE"RE NOT FLIES, WE'RE NINJAS! LET US OUT! IT'S ME, NARUTO!**"

The toad ceased its swallowing action. "Naruto?" It asked with a big gust of gas from its stomach.

Kaliana shuddered and covered her nose with her hands. "GREAT DAY IN THE MORNING!!! Whatta stench! UGH!"

"**LET US OUT, YOU DUMB, SMELLY TOAD**!" Naruto roared, punching the toad in the roof of his mouth.

Gambunta wasted no time spatting out the 2 confused shinobi. Kaliana shakily got to her feet, wiping off the slime and flaming up in an attempt to burn the goo into oblivion. Naruto approached the massive amphibian, stomping his feet and raising his fist to the sky.

"**You ****stupid**** polliwog! You almost ate us!"**

"Naruto, you little brat! How dare you summon me at a time like this!? I am the Toad King! You are only to Summon me in an EMERGENCY situation!"

While Naruto argued with the toad, Kaliana wandered along the dirt path into the trees, feeling the area was extremely familiar.

"This WAS an emergency! We were falling to our deaths! The stupid weather blew us down!"

"What are you talking about? The weather is lovely today! It's…" Gambunta looked up at the angry sky and the raging wind. "What the-…where are we?!"

"Naruto!" Kaliana called happily, stumbling out of the bushes. "We're here! We made it to the Cloud Village!"

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed, running towards Kaliana's side.

"**THE CLOUD VILLAGE?!**" The Toad roared in disbelief.** "YOU MEAN YOU SUMMONED ME ALL THE WAY TO THE LIGHTNING COUNTRY!?** "

Before disappearing with Kaliana into the midst of the trees, Naruto turned and called to the enraged toad.

"Thanks for saving us, gotta go! Bye!" With that, Naruto was gone, leaving the Toad King to rant and rave to himself.

* * *

Kiba and Shikamaru nearly collided with one another as they met near the Academy, panting and gasping for air,

"Kiba, did you find him?" Shikamaru gasped out.

"No! Akamaru and I searched everywhere! We can't even find his scent! What about you?"

"No luck for me either." Shika replied in a defeated tone. "Damn! Where could Gaara possibly be?"

* * *

Gaara sat in the shadows and watched Sasuke battle with Kakashi. It had been 3 days since the White Chakra had run through his system, and now, the demon within him was starving for death. Gaara couldn't wait until the Chunin Exams so he could have the opportunity to destroy his opponent slowly and painfully. He shifted anxiously in the darkness. Oh, how he wanted at him now; at that very moment. To take him out with such ease, then go for his Sensei, Kakashi. Looking at Kakashi confused Gaara. When he looked at the white-haired Jounin, he could see Kaliana. The kindness she had shown burned within him, and even worse, the kindness he reciprocated only caused more perplexity. This mixture of feelings enraged the Shukaku demon in his body, and it showed its disagreeable anger by causing Gaara severe head pain.

_**If you kill Kaliana, those feelings will go away. **_The demon taunted.

"Never…" Gaara hissed, holding his throbbing head. "I…could never…kill her."

_**I could…**_

"No! No…I…I wouldn't…let you!" Gaara argued, holding his head in both hands as the pain steadily increased.

* * *

Kakashi ceased the mock-battle with his student and gazed into the shadows cast by the boulders. He narrowed his eyes. Sasuke, too, glanced towards the dark coves created by the towering rocks.

"I know you're in there!" Kakashi called threateningly. "What do you want?"

* * *

Gaara, having blown his cover, gently retreated and disappeared behind the rocks.

* * *

Kakashi growled in his throat. In a mere 2 days, the Chunin Exams would begin. Though he had made great progress, he still wasn't 100% sure that Sasuke would be able to defeat Gaara. He turned to his student.

"Sasuke, it's time I teach you a Jutsu that, though extremely risky and dangerous, I feel you may need when battling him."

"Yeah? What's that?" Sasuke asked curiously, very interested in learning something dangerous.

Kakashi motioned for him to come closer. Sasuke obliged, and stood near his Sensei.

"How do you feel about the idea of holding a ball of chakra lightning in you hands?"

A devilish smile crept onto Sasuke's face. "Show me."

* * *

Kaliana and Naruto peered over the wall of the high-class Kunoichi Academy. All the girls appeared to be well-educated and all were wearing matching uniforms. The school itself was meticulously clean and decorated in a pristine high-class design. Kaliana scoffed at the sight.

"Ugh, my uncle wanted to send me HERE? What the hell was he thinking? Look at those nerdy snobs and that fancy-shmancy nerd-a-torium! What do you think of it, Naruto?"

Kaliana glanced over at Naruto, whose tongue lolled out at the sight of the many females before him.

"I've never seen so many pretty girls in my life! Look at all the babes! Man, Kaliana, if I were you, I'd definitely wanna go to this school!"

"It's an ALL GIRLS school! Of course you'd wanna be here! Why the hell would _**I**_ want to be here?"

Naruto smiled a perverted grin. "I know why I'D wanna be here!" He began scoping out the girls. "Hmm…I'd do her, do her, do her…"

"Focus, Naruto! We're here on business, remember?"

Naruto shook his head, as if to remove the dirty thoughts from his mind. "Alright! I'm sorry. I'm focused now."

"Good. Now, let me see…" Kaliana scanned the schoolyard, eyeing every girl with black hair that she could spot. Here eyes widened when she spotted one with long pigtails. A tiny growl crept up in her throat. "That's her!" She pointed eagerly.

Naruto squinted his eyes to get a better view of the offending girl Kaliana seemed so adamit about beating.

"Her? Over there?" He asked, hoping he'd spotted the right one.

"Yup!" Kaliana dropped down from the wall.

Naruto too released the grip he had on the wall and landed near Kaliana.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked, dusting off his hands.

"The plan? Right! The plan…hmm…hadn't really given it much thought…" Kaliana rubbed her chin while working out a good idea.

Naruto watched as she puzzled. She was looking at him as she concocted a feasible plan. She snapped her fingers when it was complete. She quickly snagged Naruto by the arm of his jacket and dragged him into a cluster of trees.

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do." She whispered. "Step one; You are gonna turn into a girl. Step two; You befriend the lying little harpy. Get her to trust you, confide in you; you following me?"

"Yeah, I got it. But why do I have to do it?"

"Because she knows me! If she sees me, she'll be long gone before I can ask her anything. Moving on to step three; get her to walk with you, maybe go to her house; I'll follow. Step four; after you have all the information, make up some excuse to leave the room. Step five; I proceed to beat the living hell out of her with extreme prejudice. And step six; we go home. How's that?"

Naruto stared at her questionably. "That's it?"

"Yup! That's it. What do you think?"

"Well, okay…I guess…"

"Great! Now turn into a girl…preferably with clothes on, and go do your thing!"

_"Ooh…a lesson in NOT being naked from Miss Oops-I'm-Sorry-I-Thought-I-Was-Wearing-A-Towel…"_

_Oh, shut up._

With a shrug, Naruto performed his Transformation Jutsu, and Kaliana found herself face to face with Naruko. Kaliana shuddered.

"Man, I'm still weirded out by that! Okay, go on."

"But, what should I say?" Naruko asked in a shrill, tiny voice.

"Uh…tell her you're new to the school. That should be easy, right?"

"Okay." Naruko walked back over to the wall and leapt to the other side.

Kaliana, meanwhile, found a nice, tall tree and perched herself up there, watching the deceptive scene play out below.

* * *

The Sand orphan turned when she felt a tiny tap on her shoulder. She smiled warmly at the young blonde girl, who also seemed to have an affinity for pigtails.

"Hi!" Naruko smiled. "I'm Naruko. I'm new to this school."

"Hi, Naruko! My name's Kaliana. I'm happy to meet you!"

Naruko's eyes widened slightly. _Wow! She really did steal Kaliana's identity!_

"Have you been shown around the school, Naruko?" The fake Kaliana inquired.

"Uh…yes, actually. I was just…um…feeling a little lonely. And you looked like a pleasant person to talk to! I see we both like pigtails!" Naruko thought quickly, playing with her own twin locks.

"We sure do!" The Orphan replied with a friendly smile. "I'm actually on a two week vacation. I was only here to watch some of the Exam tryouts. But since they're over, I was just going to go home. Would you like to walk with me?"

"Sure!" Naruko answered excitedly. "I'd love that!"

"Okay! Come on!" The girl turned and left through the big, fancy rod-iron gates of the exclusive school. Naruko followed closely behind, flashing a thumbs up towards the treetops.

* * *

Kaliana grinned from her perch. "Perfect! It's only a matter of time now!"

_"Kaliana, all kidding aside, I don't think…"_

"SHHH!!!" Kaliana snapped and she followed the pair from the canopy. "Not while I'm pursuing."

_"I just can't help but feel that this girl is not what she seems…"_

"Of course she's not! She's really a lying little weasel. And I'm gonna beat some answers out of her."

_"That's not what I meant! Will you please put your anger aside and pay attention? This girl…I think she's innocent."_

"Are you SHROOMING?" Kaliana snapped as she continued to follow. "She's working for those maggots who kidnapped me! How innocent could she possibly be?"

* * *

**That Night**

Naruko stuffed her mouth with bonbons. She didn't know what they were, but they were very tasty. She had just finished telling the false Kaliana about her life; most of which was totally made-up, for Naruto couldn't very well tell the girl about HIS life. Now, it was the Sand Orphans' turn. Naruko paid particularly close attention.

"You see Naruko, my life isn't what everyone thinks it is."

"What do you mean?" Naruko inquired innocently.

"I…I thought I was adopted by the school. I'm an orphan, you see. I used to live in the Sand Village with my brother, Taire. He…he disappeared one day." She stopped to wipe a tear from her eye. "Then, a few days later, I met a man…a kind man, it seemed, with long, dark hair. He asked me if I wanted to be a ninja. I didn't really want to, but I said yes anyway. I figured it's better then living on the streets. He told me that the prestigious Kunoichi Academy in the Cloud Village was looking for new students. The man gave me a new name; Kaliana Inuzuka."

"What was the man's name?" Naruko asked intently.

The orphan glanced at Naruko and turned away. "I don't remember."

_She's lying...She's gotta be… _Naruko thought to herself. "What's you're REAL name, then?" She asked hopefully.

The girl smiled. "It's been so long…I don't remember it anymore…but I DO remember I came from the Kazemara Clan…a gypsy clan that travels the deserts of the Sand Village. Anyway…" The girl continued. "He told me that a man named Kakashi Hatake would call the school and tell them that he's my uncle. The man who brought me to the school told me that this Kakashi guy was to be ignored at all times. He said that if Kakashi insisted, I should tell him myself to leave me alone. I…had no idea…who he _really_ was…"

_She didn't know?_ _Wow…I guess she's not as bad as Kaliana thinks she is…_

"I finally got him to stop bothering me after this one phone call he made...Everything was going wonderful after that. I was an okay ninja…nothing special at all. So, I attended the school without a problem until I was 12…then everything changed."

Naruko swallowed a bonbon without chewing it. She sat forward, knowing that the important information was about to be revealed.

"Naruko." The girl whispered. "You can't tell anyone, okay?"

Naruko nodded eagerly. "Okay."

* * *

Kaliana sat in the tree, annoyed. She looked up at the moon, then back down at the dilapidated little shack. It had been hours, and Kali was losing her patience.

"What the hell is taking so long down there! Hmm…maybe she's holding back." A second thought crossed her mind. "Hey, I wonder if Kuriochi has some kind of truth serum. I should summon him!"

* * *

Kisame sat the jar containing the kidnapped Kuriochi down on a rock. Itachi looked with malice at the tiny mammal, who was no larger then a chipmunk. Slowly, he reached into his pocket and removed 2 black spheres. Kuriochi eyed them suspiciously, knowing they couldn't be anything good.

"These poison spheres will kill it instantly. The little beast has seen our faces, and we can't allow it to take that information to Kaliana." Itachi then handed the spheres to Kisame. "Drop them in the jar. The rodent will die in seconds."

"Why do I have to do it?" Kisame asked, confused.

"Because I told you to." Itachi answered simply.

With a defeated groan, Kisame walked over to the jar and placed his free hand on the lid. Kuriochi cowered against the sides of the jar.

* * *

Kaliana slid her fingers across the blade of Hizoku, cursed, then dabbed each tip in her blood. She proceeded with the handseals.

* * *

Kisame removed the lid from the jar and held the two balls of poison over the opening. He grinned.

"Good riddance, rat."

* * *

"**SUMMONING JUTSU!" **Kaliana cried as she slapped her palm on the tree branch.

* * *

Kisame released the poison from his hands. At the exact moment they hit the bottom of Kuriochi's prison, the jar exploded in Kisame's face; sending glass shards and poison everywhere. Itachi was quick and immediately leapt back, his arm blocking his face. Kisame got the bulk of the glass shards in his face and hands. The poison dispersed in the air. Kuriochi was gone.

* * *

In a blast of bellowing smoke, Kuriochi appeared before Kaliana. The little creature was curled up, covering his large head with his tiny paws and shaking frightfully.

"Kuriochi? What's wrong?" Kaliana inquired.

Kuriochi slowly opened his eyes. To his absolute shock and relief, he was far away from those awful men who were trying to kill him, and directly in front of Kaliana.

"KURIOCHI! KURI KU!!!" He squealed with pleasure as he leapt into her arms. Her rubbed his head on her with extreme joy, his eyes and tail puff turning bright yellow.

Kaliana giggled at Kuriochi's affection. "I'm happy to see you too, little buddy! Did ya miss me?"

"Kuri kurio!" He squeaked, licking Kaliana's nose.

"Well, I missed you too! And I really need your help. Do you have a truth serum in your collection of emotions?"

"Kuri!" He nodded, wagging his tail.

"Great! We're gonna need it…"

* * *

"You see, Naruko. I didn't know that this dark-haired man was evil! I mean, I was 7 years old. I didn't know he'd given me someone else's identity. And after the real Kaliana was captured in the Toxic Swamp, I met this…Kabuto guy."

_Kabuto?…Hey, that's the guy who helped me and my team in the Forest of Death! He's a bad guy, too? Oh man!_

"He told me that I'd better start taking orders from now on. I was involved in this maniacal plot from the beginning, and now, I had to play a part. I had to lie to the real Kaliana. I hate myself for doing it, but he said he had my brother and he threatened to kill him if I didn't cooperate."

"That's terrible!" Naruko gasped in horror.

"Of course…" The girl laughed. "It was all a trick. They didn't have my brother. Now that this whole ordeal is over, my death is eminent. I'm useless now. It's only a matter of time before he comes for me…"

"But what do they want with the real Kaliana?" Naruko pressed, shifting uneasily as her stomach began to churn.

"I…I don't know. I wasn't entrusted with that information. All I know is…they made her forget…" The girl smiled at Naruko. "You know, you're a great listener. I don't know what it is about you, but I want you to know that I've never told anyone about this before. I trust you, Naruko. Thanks for being a friend…even though we just met!"

Naruko laughed nervously. Her stomach was really beginning to hurt now.

-------------

Kuriochi scurried up the side of the building. With some difficulty, he managed to squeeze under the window. He kept himself low and listened carefully.

-------------

"Yeah! I have that affect on people!" Naruko giggled, shoving another bonbon in her mouth in an attempt to stem the terrible cramps.

"Easy on the ice cream, Naruko!" The girl laughed.

Naruko dropped a bonbon in shock. "Ice…cream? As in…milk?"

--------------

Kuriochi leaned over, anxious to overhear the conversation. He had a big supply of truth serum stored in his tail puff, ready to strike. He was unaware that the rickety old windowsill was cracking, even under his minute weight.

----------------

"Of course it's made out of milk silly! How else can you make bonbons? Why, what's wrong? Are you lactose intolerant?"

-----------------

The wood snapped, causing Kuriochi to tumble down from the sill. He managed to grab a curtain and hang on for dear life, but accidentally released his truth serum.

-----------------

The girl bent down to pick up something that had apparently fallen from her windowsill. The truth serum drifted over her head and right in Naruko's face. Naruko inhaled deeply as the pain increased in her stomach. The black-haired girl straightened herself out and turned to Naruko.

"What's the matter?"

To her surprise, Naruko disappeared in a blast of smoke, revealing a young BOY in her place. The girl shrieked.

"Yes, I'm lactose intolerant and yes, I'm a boy!" Naruto confessed, though he wasn't sure why. "The real Kaliana is here to wail on you and I REALLY have to use your bathroom! Bye!" With that, Naruto disappeared down the hall and into the lavatory.

The girl sat there quietly. "Ka…Kaliana? She's…here?"

"That's right!" A voice growled from behind. Slowly, the girl turned to see Kaliana inside the cabin, hands on her hips, and a vicious glare in her eyes. "I hate it when the element of surprise is ruined."

"You…" The girl gasped out, horrified.

"Hello, fake-me…" Kaliana grinned beneath her mask. She cracked her knuckles. "I told you I'd be back…"

**End of Chapter 24/End of ACT VIII**


	9. ACT IX Talking to Strangers

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction**_

**_ACT IX: Talking to Strangers_**

**_CH. 25 "Set Me Free"_**

Gaara sat curled in the bushes, his breathing very labored. The demon within him continued to taunt and confuse him. He was in a great deal of pain. The sound of Akamaru's barking only worsened the throbbing in his head. He turned slightly, his bulging eyes searching for the source of the irritating sound. He noticed Shikamaru, Kiba and Akamaru, standing just 15 feet from him, staring.

Kiba swayed nervously, nudging Shikamaru's shoulder.

"C'mon man. It's way past the time limit. Let's just go with the information we have. I'm sure Kaliana has gotten the info she needs in the Cloud Village."

"No." Shikamaru answered sternly, standing his ground. "We have to do this." Shikamaru cautiously took a few steps forward. "Gaara?"

Gaara continued his heavy breathing, but responded with a low moan. Shikamaru stepped closer.

"Gaara, we've been looking for you. We need your help."

Gaara gave another painful moan. "You've got…some nerve…approaching me…like this…" He hissed viciously.

Kiba took a few steps back, but Shikamaru kept his position. "Gaara, please…this concerns Kaliana."

Gaara lifted his head slightly.

"She's the one who needs your help." Shikamaru finished.

Gaara took another labored breath. "Every time…I help that girl…it is I who suffers. I should've killed her…I should never have helped her in the first place…"

"But you did, didn't you?" Shikamaru snapped.

Kiba slowly reached for his arm. "C'mon dude. Let's just go."

Shikamaru pulled away and stepped even closer to Gaara, who was becoming more and more unstable by the minute.

"You helped Kaliana because she showed you kindness! She was probably the first person in your life to show you kindness! Well, now it's your turn! Show your appreciation for her and help her figure out what the Sound Village is planning! What are they going to do with her? Talk already!" Shikamaru finished by kicking a rock at Gaara. It hit his gourd and bounced off.

Kiba flinched. _Oh man! We're so dead!_

Gaara turned slowly towards them, an insidious growl creeping up in his throat. Though Shikamaru was just as frightened as Kiba was, he stood his ground. Gaara got to his feet and faced them, his head down.

"How dare you speak to me as if you know every intimate detail of my life. You know nothing about me."

"I know that you could've killed Kaliana each time you met, but you didn't! You helped her before; well all I'm asking is that you help her again! What's so hard about that?"

Gaara wanted to help. Oh, how he wanted to help. But the Shukaku had other plans.

_**This boy insults your intelligence. He must die.**_

He's only trying…to help his friend…

_**Kill him…KILL HIM.**_

NO!_DO IT…NOW!!!_

Gaara's eyes rolled towards the back of his head. He suddenly launched a wave of sand directly at Shikamaru, grabbing him and picking him up high above the ground.

"Shikamaru!" Kiba attempted to run to his side, but Gaara immediately trapped the boy and his dog in an unbreakable sand dome.

He then turned his attention back to Shikamaru. Lifting his hand, he slowly curled his fingers into his palm. The pressure around Shikamaru was growing tighter as the sand began constricting him.

"_**I will crush you for your insolence. Then I will crush that coward and his dog. Who will help Kaliana then?"**_ Gaara roared in a voice that was not his own.

"GO AHEAD!" Shikamaru shot back, flinching as the sand hugged him tighter and tighter. "CRUSH ME! KILL ME! YOU'LL ONLY BE PROVING ME RIGHT!"

"_**What?"**_ Gaara hissed.

"THE WAY KALIANA TALKED ABOUT YOU…IT MADE ME THINK THAT THERE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE A KIND, HUMAN SOUL IN YOU, AND NOT JUST A BLOOD-THIRSTY DEMON! I WANTED TO BELIEVE HER, BUT I KNEW YOU WERE NOTHING BUT A COLD-HEARTED KILLER!"

Gaara grunted and moaned as the words sunk in. He was fighting his own demon now. But the Shukaku wasn't ready to give in just yet…and neither was Shikamaru.

"SO WHO WAS RIGHT?" Shikamaru gasped out, on the brink of losing consciousness. "KALIANA? OR ME?"

Flashes of Kaliana's face played in his mind like a slideshow. Her words were always so genuine, her touch…indescribable. Her eyes; windows to her kind soul. Was she really…a friend?

"If…I didn't…know any better…" Shikamaru stammered out. "I'd say that…she likes you."

Gaara's eyes widened as his tiny pupils returned. They slowly began to dialate.

_**NO!**_The demon roared within him, knowing it was losing control. _**NOOO!**_

The words 'she likes you' echoed loudly in Gaara's mind like the trumpet of a locomotive. The sand's wild dancing calmed. The whirlwind of sand that engulfed Shikamaru died down, releasing Shika and allowing him to fall to the ground, gasping for air. The dome around Kiba and Akamaru melted away. Gaara fell to his knees, tears in his eyes. He had, for the first time, defeated the Shukaku.

Kiba ran to Shikamaru's side and lifted him up. Shikamaru choked and gasped, the color slowly returning to his face.

"You alright?" Kiba asked in a concerned tone.

"Yeah…" Shikamaru sighed. "I think I…got to him."

The two focused on Gaara, who rested on his knees, one of his hands cradling his head. His breathing had slowed to normal, and he seemed to have calmed down considerably. Slowly, Shikamaru got to his feet and he and Kiba approached Gaara. Gaara looked up at them, a serious yet gentle look in his teal eyes.

"Your Village…" He started. "…Is in danger."

Shikamaru and Kiba stood shocked as Gaara let them in on the secret of the destruction of the Leaf Village.

* * *

Kabuto rummaged through the many boxes in Kaliana's room. He was searching frantically for anything that would help him solve the last clue.

"_And the 99__th__ Generation Shall Have But One Love…A Love of Gold…_" He repeated to himself.

He reached into a particularly rotted box and pulled out what appeared to be a family photo album. Kabuto began to flip through it gently. With the exception of a few pictures of Kaliana and Akita, the entire album was filled with photos of horses. Kabuto cocked his head with confusion.

"That's peculiar…Kaliana's father was obsessed with horses?" He questioned as he continued to flip through the book.

One horse in particular stood out from the others…a huge golden-colored stallion. A smile crept onto Kabuto's face.

"Ah, I see! It makes sense now. A Love of Gold…" He ran his thumb over the stallion in the photo. With one last confidant chuckle, Kabuto crammed the photo in his pocket and tossed the album back into the box. A sudden knock at the door caused him to jump.

"**KALIANA!**" Gai's voice echoed loudly. "I've searched Shikamaru's house AND Kiba's house! So, I know you're in there! Are we going to train or aren't we? If not…maybe you could just watch…or something…"

Kabuto, thinking fast, performed the Transformation Jutsu and answered the door.

"Ugh…I'm sorry Gai." Kaliana moaned, holding her stomach. "Not feeling very well today. I'm just going to stay here."

Gai eyed her suspiciously, then nodded. "Oh…umm, okay then. Hope you feel better soon."

"Me too."

Gai gave one last unsure stare, then turned and walked away. Kaliana closed the door slowly. As Gai continued walking, he couldn't help but feel that Kaliana looked a bit…off. He stopped to think more clearly.

_That glove…I thought it was on her right hand…and where'd that necklace go? I know she was wearing one…Didn't she have 3 earrings in each ear? I could've sworn I only saw 2 this time…_

Gai whirled around and ran back to the house. He curled his fingers around the doorknob and pushed the door open. To his dismay, all he saw was the last remnants of white smoke billowing in the air. Gai furrowed his enormous brows.

"That WASN'T Kaliana! I have to tell Kakashi about this! But, who the hell was that? And where is the REAL Kaliana!?"

* * *

The Sand Orphan flew into the wall of her puny cabin with a loud crack. Kaliana then picked her up by the collar of her jacket and pulled her close.

"I'll ask you again…**WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?**" Kaliana roared.

"I…I told you already…" The girl whimpered, bleeding from her lip. "I don't remember his name."

Kaliana wasted no time in cocking back her fist and punching the girl in the face before tossing her aside. The rage within her was very apparent, as her chakra flames danced angrily along her arms and midsection, singeing the net shirt.

"I don't know who it is you're protecting…" Kaliana growled, lifting a fiery fist. "But you must feel it's worth your life not to tell."

_Kaliana, please._ Hizoku begged from outside in the tree branch where she left it. _This isn't like you! Try and keep your temper. Maybe this girl is telling the truth._

"Zip it, Hizoku!" Kaliana snapped. She returned her attention to the girl. "Well?!"

"If I…remembered…I would tell you, believe me…I would." She gasped out.

Kaliana growled even deeper in her throat. She decided to try another question. "What does this person want with me? What are they planning?"

"I…don't…know…" The girl stammered weakly.

A new rage swept over Kaliana. "You don't know much of **anything**, do you?" She hissed.

"I'm sorry…I'm just a decoy…I wasn't told anything. Please…you have to…believe me…" The girl was about to lose consciousness, but Kaliana quickly grabbed her and shook her vigorously.

"Stay with me! I ain't finished with you yet!" She slapped the girls' face a few times.

_**SHE IS TOYING WITH YOU!**_

Kaliana lifted her head slightly as the familiar voice filled her mind.

_I know that voice… _She thought to herself. _The Hound…I must've woke it up again…_

_**DO NOT ALLOW HER TO MAKE A FOOL OF YOU! KILL HER NOW! SHE IS USELESS!**_

_Kaliana, do not listen to him. The more you kill, the more control he gets! Ignore him, or all is lost!_

"Would you BOTH just shut the Hell up!?" Kaliana shouted out loud. "STOP TELLING ME HOW TO DO THIS!!!"

The Sand Orphan eyed Kaliana strangely. _She's talking to herself…whoa, what a loon!_

Kaliana looked at the Sand Orphan, her eyebrows furrowed with frustration. "What am I going to do with you?"

* * *

Orochimaru eyed the Welcome to the Cloud Village sign. He removed the jar from his dark brown cloak. The flame was lively now, bouncing against the sides of the jar. With a wicked smile, Orochimaru released it. It sped away and disappeared into the bushes, Orochimaru following right behind it.

_It's heading to her cabin! Kaliana __is__ there! Excellent. This should be interesting to watch…_

* * *

Kaliana picked the girl up again, staring into her frightened brown eyes.

"Part of me wants to dig a hole and bury you in it…but another part of me thinks I should just let you go…what do you think I should do?"

The girl averted her eyes as tears filled within them. "If you wish to show me mercy…then kill me."

Kaliana's eyes softened slightly, but that didn't last long. Her head jerked forward as the Black flame wriggled in through the back of her neck. The orphan watched in horror as Kaliana's eyes turned black with a deep purple glow. Her nails grew longer and an insidious growl from her throat caused the cabin to vibrate.

_What happened just now? _The girl thought. _Why did her eyes turn color?_

The Kaliana-Hound grinned a toothy grin beneath her mask. "**Your offer has been accepted.**" She snarled, digging her claws into the girls' arms.

The sand orphan wailed painfully as Kaliana ripped out her right set of claws and brushed their bloodied tips across the orphans' face.

* * *

Orochimaru watched from a high perch in a tree. He smiled. _So this is what it's like when the Hound awakens…how amusing. I can't wait to test it out myself!_

* * *

The girl flew into the wall with amazing force, causing the weak building to shake violently. The girl weakly lifted her head to see the enraged Kali-beast approach her, growling with malice, her long claws dripping with blood.

_This is it. _The orphan closed her eyes tightly. _I'm going to die…_

"KALIANA, STOP!" A scratchy voice screamed frantically.

The orphan peeked out to see Naruto. He ran in front of her, arms wide.

"Kaliana, knock it off! What do you think you're doing?! I didn't give the signal to attack her! She doesn't know anything! She's innocent!"

* * *

Orochimaru nearly fell out the tree upon Naruto's heroic entrance.

_What the-…? What is HE doing here?! She brought the nine-tailed fox with her?!_

* * *

The Kaliana hound snarled ferociously, her mask hanging off her face and her fangs dripping. "**Step aside! Or I'll go right through you!**"

"Go ahead and try!" Naruto stood his ground protectively over the orphan, who stared up at him in awe. "C'MON! I **DARE** YOU TO TRY!"

_Wow…he's so brave!_ The sand orphan swooned.

The Kaliana hound approached him. She placed her clawed hands on his shoulders and dug them into his flesh. Naruto groaned as the pain increased, but kept his position.

"**MOVE.**" The Kaliana Hound warned again.

"**NEVER!**" Naruto roared. "**YOU'LL HAVE TO KILL ME FIRST! I WON'T LET YOU HURT AN INNOCENT PERSON!**" Slowly, he brought his hands up to her wrists, wrapping his fingers around them and applying just a small amount of pressure.

Kaliana winced as she felt Naruto's scar. She closed her eyes tightly.

**KILL HIM. **The hound roared in her head. **KILL HIM AND ABSORB HIS POWERFUL CHAKRA.**

Kaliana snarled again and lunged, her mouth open and ready to rip out the fox-boy's throat.

"**SNAP OUT OF IT!**" Naruto roared louder then ever. "**WAKE UP, KALIANA! WAKE UP!**" He drew back his left hand and struck with incredible force, the sound of his open palm connecting with Kaliana's face caused a trumpeting SLAP sound that echoed throughout the entire Cloud Village.

* * *

"Ow!" Kiba shouted suddenly, breaking the silence.

Shikamaru looked over at him curiously. "What the hell was that?" He asked, eyeing Kiba as he rubbed his face tenderly.

"I…I don't know…" Kiba stammered in shock. "My face just hurts for some reason…"

* * *

Kakashi watched Sasuke's performance with pride. "Good job, Sasuke. Now focus your chakra…OW!" He flinched and brought his hand to his face.

"What's the matter, Sensei?" Sasuke asked. "Mosquito bite you?"

"No…it didn't feel like a bug bite…" He rubbed his face. "I don't know what the hell that was…"

* * *

The sudden slap temporarily caused Kaliana's eyes to flash to their normal green. "OUCH!"

The Hound possessed her again in moments. **WHY ARE YOU HESITATING? KILL HIM NOW, YOU WASTE!**

"I…can't…" Kaliana grumbled out loud. "I…won't!" She pulled herself far away from Naruto and the orphan. She gripped her own head with her long claws. "GIVE ME BACK CONTROL OF MY BODY YOU SON OF A BITCH DOG!!!!!!!!!"

Naruto and the orphan watched as Kaliana stumbled around the room, her hands still gripped tightly around her cranium. She tripped and landed hard on her back, where she proceeded to go into convulsions; kicking about wildly and jerking her body uncontrollably.

* * *

Orochimaru watched with anger from his perch. _So it's true…she does fight the Hound for control…I'll have to keep that in mind. _

He gripped his own head as it throbbed with pain. The battle between Kaliana and the Hound was giving him a headache, as the eye around her neck bounced banged against the ground. He flinched when he heard a hum coming from a branch right next to him. He peered through the leaves and gasped in shock as his eye caught the moon's glow reflecting from Hizoku's massive blade. Fearing it would sense his chakra, Orochimaru retreated deeper into the woods while the weapon was still preoccupied.

* * *

Naruto watched in terror. He wanted to run to her side, but something told him to stay back. He looked down when he felt the orphan wrap her arms around his leg, also entranced by the scene before them.

Kaliana continued to convulse in a desperate attempt to regain control. Suddenly, Hizoku began to glow weakly. After a few moments, the white glow became stronger. It was using its White Chakra to help Kaliana battle the Hound. Finally, Kaliana sat up, eyes wide and green. Naruto quickly ran to her side, feeling it was now safe.

"Kaliana!" He knelt near her, his hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"What happened? Why does my face hurt? I didn't kill anybody, did I?"

Naruto laughed and hugged her. "Nah! You just roughed us up, that's all!"

Kaliana noticed the blood on Naruto's shoulders. "You…you're bleeding!" She quickly got to her knees and cupped her hands together, creating a White Chakra ball. She pulled it apart and placed her hands on his shoulders.

Naruto sighed pleasantly. "Oh, man! That feels good!" The White Chakra disappeared into his wounds, closing them up immediately.

Kaliana then turned to the orphan. She got down gently on one knee. "I…hurt you too, didn't I?"

The girl scooted back cautiously. "Uh-huh…" She flinched when Kaliana placed her hands on her two bleeding arms.

In an instant, not only were her wounds healed, but the other bodily harm Kaliana delivered melted away as well. The Orphan looked up at Kaliana with surprise. Kaliana smiled gently.

"There you go. I am so sorry I attacked you like that. If you say that's all you know, I believe you."

The orphan retaliated with her own smile and shook her head. "No…I'm sorry I couldn't give you any useful information. It doesn't matter now. They will kill me in a day or so."

"Why don't you just leave?" Naruto suggested.

"They'll find me…no matter where I go." She whispered, turning away.

"Then come with us." Kaliana offered. "We can protect you."

"I can't…it is my destiny to die here."

Kaliana rolled her eyes in frustration. "What is it with you people and destiny? Your destiny is what YOU make of it. If you want to die here, then that's how it's gonna be. But if you choose to lead your own life…"

"…Then you'll be like us!" Naruto finished. "We make our own destiny, no matter what everyone else says, right Kaliana?"

"If I may quote you, little buddy; Believe it!! So what's it gonna be?"

The girl smiled again. She looked up at the night sky through her window. "How I wish I had your confidence…but you must understand. Some things…we can't change. No matter how much we believe we can. Some things…are just…meant to be."

The girl looked back at Kaliana and Naruto. They didn't seem to understand. She giggled gently. "Go." She encouraged. "Maybe we'll meet again someday."

Kaliana nodded and headed for the window. Kuriochi came out from hiding and scurried into her pocket. As Kaliana reached the windowsill, she turned to Naruto.

"C'mon. The Chunin Exams start the day after tomorrow. We don't wanna hit traffic." She joked.

Naruto took a step forward, but the orphans' hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"He'll be along in a minute." She whispered.

Kaliana shrugged and leapt out the window. Naruto turned to the orphan.

"What is it?"

Without warning, she leaned over and kissed him quickly on the lips. She blushed and looked away.

"No one has ever stood in front of me so protectively before…you saved my life. I just wanted to say thanks."

Naruto blushed and giggled embarrassingly. "Gosh! I was just doing what comes natural! Hey, if DO you decide to get out of here, maybe we can go out sometime!"

Kaliana's hand reached from the window and latched onto Naruto's jacket.

"Let's go, Casanova."

As he was lifted up and out of sight, he managed a squeaky, "Goodbye!"

The Sand Orphan watched as they ascended into the sky in a giant bubble, then flew away into the darkness. She sighed and leaned back.

"Maybe…I can change my destiny." She muttered.

"What a ridiculous concept." A voice hissed from behind.

She turned to see Orochimaru, who seemed displeased. She fell back and coward in a corner.

"It's you…" She whispered.

Orochimaru chuckled. "How quaint…you really did forget my name. You truly got into character, didn't you?"

"I…I don't want to do this anymore. Please…can't you use the Memory Seal Jutsu to clear my mind and let me start anew? I don't want to die." She pleaded. "Maybe I can find my brother…"

"Your brother? Don't be ridiculous…he's been dead for years." Orochimaru growled as he circled the orphan. "You actually believed those two? To think that you could lead a normal life? What a joke. My dear, you are nothing more then a decoy. What's worse…you are a _used_ decoy. Your life has no meaning. You are a mere orphan; the rudest thing you can do to the world is continue living. You have no purpose…you are nothing."

The girl turned away as the tears cascaded from her eyes. She looked up at Orochimaru shakily.

"You're…going to kill me…aren't you?"

Orochimaru scoffed at the question. "What? And waste my valuable time? I'd faster swat a bothersome fly then get my hands dirty with a worthless little wretch like you." He removed a large kunai knife from his cloak. He tossed it at the ground. The knife dug into the wood near her feet. Orochimaru turned away.

"You believe in destiny, orphan? Fine. Now's your chance to choose your path. It is entirely up to you. Choose wisely." With that, Orochimaru disappeared.

The girl eyed the knife for a long time. Slowly, she reached for it, wrapping her fingers around the handle.

"My choice…do I make a new living for myself and try to forget my past life, or do I end it all now?" She touched the point of the knife with her fingertip. She pushed down on it, causing the knife to pierce her appendage, the blood dripping from the tiny puncture wound. She smiled a fake grin. "The pain…it's been numbed. I…I can't even feel pain anymore. And if I can't feel, I ask, what is the purpose of living?"

She positioned the knife so that the blade faced her chest. "My destiny…can NEVER be changed."

She plunged the knife into her own heart. As she lay back, bleeding to death, she gave a genuine smile for the first time in her life.

_At last…I am…free._

**End of Chapter 25**

* * *

**_CH. 26 "Bend Me; Shape Me"_**

-----------------------------------------

Kiba and Shikamaru raced side by side through the forest.

"Alright, here's the deal!" Shikamaru started. "I'll go to Hokage Mountain and tell Kakashi Sensei about all of this!"

"Right!" Kiba agreed. "And I'll go warn the Hokage! The Sand and Sound won't take our village down without a fight!"

"Yeah, and if Kakashi Sensei can get to Kaliana before all of this, he can protect her from them using the demon Hound against us!"

That said, the two split off into different directions. Shikamaru headed North towards Hokage Mountain, while Kiba headed towards the Academy to find the Hokage himself.

* * *

Kiba was just within a ¼ mile of the school when a sudden gust of wind blasted him into the side of a rock. He struggled to open his eyes after receiving such a blow to the head. But, even through the blurred vision, he was able to make out the shapes and faded colors of Kankuro and Temari.

"Well, we have her cousin, but where's the other one?" Temari questioned irritably.

"Not sure." Kankuro answered with a shrug. "But he couldn't have gone far. These two haven't left each other's sides."

"I can't believe Gaara turned on us and spilled all of our information." Temari muttered with distaste. "Guess he's proven which side he's on."

"Although he did stab us in the back, I can't help but feel proud of him." Kankuro admitted, a smirk on his painted face.

"What are you talking about?" His sister snapped.

"Our little bro's in love!" Kankuro said in a teasing tone.

"Oh please!"

While the two Sand nin argued, Kiba weakly called to Akamaru, who sat quiet and still in Kiba's jacket.

"Aka…maru…"

The tiny dog slowly poked his head out of the jacket.

"Akamaru…you have to…go find…Shikamaru…he might be…in trouble. Find him, and bring him here…please."

Akamaru whimpered with uncertainty. Sure, he wanted to help, but to leave Kiba alone while he was obviously incapacitated was something the little dog did NOT want to do.

"Here…take this." Kiba reached into his pocket and placed a food pill in Akamaru's mouth. "Keep this…under your tongue. It's the last one. Don't use it unless you have to…okay, buddy? Now go."

Akamaru slid from the jacket the rest of the way. He nudged Kiba's face and whimpered again, taking special care not to swallow the pill.

"Go, Akamaru." Kiba encouraged again. "I'll be fine…now go."

"HEY!" Temari's voice rang out. "There's his dog! Don't let it get away!"

"GO AKAMARU! GO! GET OUT OF HERE!" Kiba shouted frantically.

"I'll grab it!" Kankuro shouted, lunging at the puppy.

Akamaru turned and, with tears in his eyes, darted away. Kankuro would have grabbed him by the tail had Kiba not leapt in front of him just as he was passing, tripping Kankuro and knocking him to the ground. Akamaru had escaped, and now, the sand ninja were furious.

"You let that dog get away!" Temari scolded her brother.

"Hey, I would've gotten it if this jerk didn't jump in the way!" Kankuro shouted back, finishing by kicking Kiba in the gut. "So now what? Do we bring him to Baki Sensei?"

"You know what Baki would do to him. Let's save our Sensei the trouble and get rid of him ourselves."

Kankuro smiled and roughly grabbed Kiba by the hood of his parka.

"Ya hear that dog-boy? You're gonna die."

That said, the sand ninjas began showering Kiba with blows, kicks and slashes with their kunai knives; thoroughly intent on slaughtering the Inuzuka boy.

* * *

Naruto sat on the edge of the riverbank, practicing on holding his chakra fire for more then 30 seconds before the burning sensation kicked in. Kaliana, meanwhile, was upstream washing her face and giving Hizoku's blade a little polishing. Kuriochi, who had been asleep in her pocket, no doubt resting from the horrid experience he'd had, awoke and climbed up to her shoulder.

"Kuri. Kurio kuri, kuri ku?"

"What is it, Kuriochi?"

"Ri, ri, ri, Kurio. Ku, Ku, kuri."

"Hizoku, what is he saying?" Kaliana asked, still unaware on how to interpret Kuriochi's speech.

"_He is telling you about an event that occurred some days ago._"

"Ah. Okay then. Proceed, little buddy."

"Ku kuri kurio-chi. Kuri kuri ku. Ochi ku ri, ri."

"_He says that he saw the faces of the 2 men that were in your room the day you went off to train with Gai._"

Kaliana, who had been slumped over, straightened herself quickly and turned to the tiny chipmunk-like rodent perched atop her shoulder.

"You saw them, Kuriochi? Who were they? Were they Sound ninja like the ones I killed?"

Kuriochi shook his head. "Ku."

Kaliana sighed with frustration. "I wish you could show me what they looked like."

"Ri, ri!" Kuriochi shouted excitedly, nodding.

"You can? How?"

Kuriochi hopped onto a rock and performed a handseal.

"Hey…that's the handseal for the Transformation Jutsu…" Kaliana noticed, shocked that her tiny beast could perform jutsus.

In a flash, Kuriochi disappeared. In his place was a tall man with the appearance of a shark. He wore a long black cloak with red clouds on it. Kaliana ascended an eyebrow with curiosity.

"_He is not familiar to you, is he?_"

"No…never seen him in my life! Maybe from the Jaws movie…but other then that, I don't recognize him. I think I'd remember meeting someone as ugly as that!"

Kuriochi returned to his own form and held up two of his stubby fingers, indicating that he was about to turn into the 2nd man he saw that day. In a flash, a new man stood in Kuriochi's place. A man with dark hair and eyes who wore the same cloak as the other man. Kaliana swooned at the sight of him.

"**OW BABY!** What a hottie! This one was in my room?" She circled the transformed Kuriochi with great interest. "Shame he didn't leave his number…I certainly wouldn't mind if he came back!"

"_Focus Kaliana. These are bad guys, remember?_"

"Well yeah but, damn! Never seen a bad guy **that** hot before!"

Suddenly, Naruto leapt between Kaliana and the Itachi-disguised Kuriochi, kunai knife drawn.

"You stay away from her!" He warned, waving the knife threateningly.

"Naruto, calm down! It's only Kuriochi doing a Transformation jutsu."

Naruto lowered the knife and turned to Kaliana, a look of confusion on his face.

"Kuri…ochi? The rat that lives in your pocket?"

"Yes…NO! I mean…ugh, he's not a rat!" Flustered, Kaliana grabbed Naruto's head and focused it back on Kuriochi. "Does that guy he transformed into look familiar to you?"

Naruto squinted to get a good look at the good lookin' man. He shrugged.

"Eh, if you want my opinion, it looks like an older version of Sasuke."

Kaliana gagged. "Ugh…okay, I just threw up in my mouth a little…what do you mean he looks like Sasuke!? He looks nothing like that jerk!"

"Sure he does! Hey, Sasuke _does_ have an older brother. Maybe that's him."

"Older brother, huh? Hmm…do you know who this older brother works for?"

"Beats me. All I know is he killed his entire family, leaving himself and Sasuke as the sole survivors of the Uchiha clan."

Kaliana sighed with disappointment at Naruto's sentence.

"_Told you he was a bad guy._" Hizoku muttered, seemingly pleased with itself.

Kaliana leered at the sword for a moment before swinging it onto her back.

"Well, I need to find out who he works for…and the only way to find that out is to…talk to Sasuke." She finished with a shudder. "C'mon Naruto. We still have a few hours of daylight left to get you home. Then, I need to trek up to Hokage Mountain and question Sasuke about his super hot evil brother."

Naruto and Kaliana trudged from the water and within moments, were airborne once more.

* * *

Shikamaru stopped to catch his breath at the foot of Hokage Mountain. He looked up at the tall mount.

"Look how far up that is! What a drag! I'll be climbing all night! But I have to do this…for Kaliana."

That said, Shikamaru took a step forward. A step was all he was granted, for he was instantly and suddenly struck to the ground. He hastily picked himself up and looked around, confused. He was struck again, this time, however, he managed to get a glimpse of the white streak that kept attacking him.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

Shikamaru was once again knocked to the ground. This time, though, he hit his head on a rock. Weak, he stayed on the ground, trying to regain his composure. The offending man finally allowed himself to be seen. Shikamaru squinted his eyes at this white-haired man who wore glasses.

"Hey…I've seen you before. At the Academy…and the Chunin preliminaries! You're…you're a Leaf Villager! Why are you attacking me?"

Kabuto grinned at the question. "Not everything is what it seems, little boy."

Shikamaru growled under his breath. "So, you're a spy then. You probably work for the Sound village."

"See? There's your problem. You're just too smart for your own good. As am I. I've been following you all day, but haven't attacked until now because it's dusk. That's right…I know what you can do with shadows, which is why I waited to attack you until now."

Shikamaru weakly managed to pull himself to his feet. "The day I saw Kaliana again…when she showed me that sword of hers…a cup fell from the tree after she left. It was warm, indicating that there was recently someone holding it. It was you, wasn't it? You've been following her making sure everything was going as planned. But it wasn't going as planned was it? She wasn't supposed to remember being in the Sand village, was she? But she did. She did because one of your Sound ninja messed up on her Memory Seal Jutsu! And now, she's figuring all of it out! She ought to know by now what you plan on doing with that Hound Demon inside of her! You're going to destroy the Leaf Village tomorrow using her and her power!"

Kabuto clapped his hands together a few times. "Congratulations, you've figured out our plan. Give yourself a pat on the back. Of course you realize that that tongue of yours has just aided in digging your own grave. You're not going to make it to the top of the mountain. You are going to die." Kabuto pulled out 3 kunai knives and cocked his arm back. "You should've just stayed out of it."

Kabuto let the knives fly. Shikamaru was still too injured to dodge the knives. Just as they were about to make contact, there was a flash of brown fur, a clinging sound and a growl. It was Akamaru. He had swallowed the food pill just before Kabuto tossed the knives. The knives ricochet off Akamaru's fangs and dug deeply into Kabuto's arm. Kabuto fell to his knees, moaning.

_Damn! Where the hell did that dog come from?!_

Shikamaru recognized Akamaru instantly.

"Akamaru! Where's Kiba? Is he hurt?"

"Ruff!" Akamaru confirmed Shika's fears.

Shikamaru looked up at the mountain, then back towards the Academy. He couldn't allow Kaliana's cousin to be harmed, even though the information he held was important to the entire safety of the village. With a groan, he made the difficult decision to go back and find Kiba. Akamaru followed after delivering a painful bite to Kabuto's ankle.

After a few moments, Kabuto slowly got up, yanking the blood-covered kunai from his arm. Being the son of a medical specialist, he knew he could repair the damage before too long.

_These wounds will be attended to before Lord Orochimaru returns from the Cloud Village. He needn't know about this embarrassing event, though._

With that, Kabuto disappeared; his physical wounds caused him some pain, but not nearly as much as the wound on his pride, which would forever leave a scar.

* * *

Kaliana slowly brought the chakra bubble down to earth, pleased that she finally learned how to land without having to fall 4000 feet to the ground. Naruto was asleep, leaning against her leg. Kaliana sighed.

"I'm gonna have to carry him to his room, aren't I?"

"_You mustn't wake him. It takes so long for him to settle down and actually sleep. Be gentle and quiet and take him to his bed._"

Kaliana gave a groan as she scooped the 13 year-old fox boy into her arms. With some difficulty she managed to open the front door and heave him up the stairs. With a little more difficulty, she opened his bedroom door and gently placed him on the bed. Naruto gave a sleepy yawn and opened his tired eyes.

"Hey." He whispered.

"Oh, NOW he's awake!" Kaliana grumbled. "You couldn't have woken up while I was schlepping your heavy ass up the stairs! I almost fell 4 times, ya know!"

Naruto laughed, rubbing his sleepy eyes. "Sorry. I'm just so tired tonight. Chakra fire uses up a lot of chakra, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I suppose it does."

"I just hope I'm not too tired to battle Neji tomorrow."

Kaliana thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers at an idea.

"You'll have plenty of chakra to battle tomorrow, my friend." Kaliana removed the glove from her hand and focused.

Naruto watched in amazement as a large, swirling ball of chakra formed at the tips of her skeleton fingers.

"Take off your jacket and lift your shirt." She ordered.

Naruto sat up and looked at her questionably. "You want me to lift my shirt?" He giggled. "You want me to dance a little for ya, too?"

Kaliana frowned at the very thought. "Yes, I'm going to shove dollar-bills down your pants." She answered with a roll of her eyes.

"So, you're gonna give me some of your chakra?"

"Something like that…" She wrapped her free hand around his pants and pulled them down slightly, revealing the Seal.

"Hey, whoa…" Naruto flinched and retreated a little. "You're not gonna put it **IN** the seal, are you? But…that's where the Fox's Spirit is! You'd just be giving it to him, and he's stingy with his chakra! He'll never let me use it!"

"Naruto…I know what I'm doing…Figured it all out on the way home…"

"_Kaliana…I sense you've realized that you have as much control of the Hound as he has on you. Are you considering manipulating him, just as he has done to you in the recent past?_"

_You've got that right, Hizoku! _Kaliana answered in her mind. _He made me do something terrible, so I'm going to make him do something good!_

Kaliana closed her eyes and prepared herself to take control of the Hounds' Spirit for the first time.

* * *

_Kaliana bravely stepped over the DO NOT CROSS line in her mind. The Hound growled a threatening welcome._

"_**GREETINGS, YOU LITTLE WART! ALLOWING ME SOME LIBERTY TO KILL AGAIN?" **__The Hound roared._

"_Not exactly…" Kaliana answered with a tenacious grin. She held up her skeleton hand, a 'leash' of white chakra glowing from her fingers and up to the Hound's neck. "HEEL, BOY!" She yanked her arm down, bringing the confused Hound to her feet with great force._

* * *

Kaliana plunged her hand into Naruto's stomach through the center of the seal. Naruto slumped over a bit and moaned, as the process was both painful and sensational.

"This…feels…funny…Kaliana?" Naruto searched her eyes for an answer, only to find that her eyes were drawn back into her skull; a brilliant light resonating from them.

* * *

_The fox paced wildly in its cage within Naruto's body. It suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable. What could there be in this world that would cause such fright to the powerful and fearless 9-tailed demon fox? The answer promptly made itself known as the massive head of the Fire Hound suddenly appeared just outside the fox's cage; snapping and baying ferociously at the bars of the tiny prison. The fox wailed and hissed, curling itself up in the corner of its cell in fear._

"_**THE THEIVING FOX ALWAYS COWERS AT THE JAWS OF THE HOUND!**__" The Fire Hound roared, causing the bars on the cage to vibrate and clang against one another._

"_HORRID BEAST!" The fox snarled. "THE BODY OF THIS YOUNG BOY IS MY PRISON! WHY DO YOU ENTER MY PATHETIC DOMICILE AND TAUNT ME? LEAVE AT ONCE! I'VE DONE NOTHING TO ENRAGE YOU!"_

"_**YOU LISTEN TO ME YOU FOUL VERMIN! YOU HAD BETTER SHARE THAT CHAKRA OF YOURS WITH THE BOY WHO HOLDS YOU CAPTIVE!**__"_

"_AND WHAT IF I DON'T? WHAT IS IT YOUR BUSINESS, HOUND? I GIVE MY CHAKRA TO NO ONE!"_

_The hound gave another fierce roar before sinking his teeth in between the bars and pulling viciously at the cage, causing the frightened fox to fall onto the Hound's teeth. It manages to swiftly leap away before losing any of its limbs. The Hound retreated and snarled, licking his chops._

"_**I WILL TEAR THE DOOR OFF THIS CAGE AND CONSUME YOUR SPIRIT, OBSORBING YOUR CHAKRA IN THE PROCESS! WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT, YOU FLEA-RIDDEN MANGY FOX?**__" _

* * *

Naruto tried to be very still during the process, but it was difficult to stay calm when Kaliana's eyes looked so frightfully eerie.

_What's going on? What is she doing?_

After a few moments, Kaliana retreated her hand from Naruto's stomach and her eyes returned to normal. She put the glove back on and gave a sigh of relief.

"That was kinda fun. I wonder if I can intimidate Gaara's demon like that?"

"Wha-…what were you doing in there?" Naruto asked nervously, rubbing his hand over the seal on his stomach.

"Well, I kinda forced my Hound to threaten your Fox…well, Hizoku took control of his chakra, and I took his voice."

"Oh, so that's why you were mumbling…well, what did you guys do to the fox?"

"Threatened to eat his soul if he doesn't give you some of his chakra when you need it. Filthy little mammal didn't want to cooperate at first, but in the end, a fox always submits to a hound."

"So you mean I get to use the fox's red chakra now!? AWESOME!" Naruto threw his hands around Kaliana's waist and hugged tightly. "Thank you so much Kaliana! You're the best!"

Hizoku trembled, glowed and hummed a bit.

"Oh, and you too, Hizoku!" Naruto cheered, petting the sword's blade.

"NARUTO! DON'T! WAIT! STOP!" Kaliana warned, but too late.

It was just what Hizoku had been waiting for. It sparked sharply, causing Naruto to go flying off his bed and into the wall, blood dripping from the slit on his finger. Kaliana snapped her neck around and glared at the sword.

"DAMMIT HIZOKU!" She scolded.

"_I'm not giving it back, either. I will use it only when necessary...like in case of an emergency…_"

"Well, it was still wrong! Look, you made him bleed!" Kaliana ran to where Naruto had landed, not noticing the 3 specks of blood that stained the tip of Hizoku's blade.

Naruto was still conscious, but just bearly.

"It hurts when…Hizoku…pets back…" He muttered before going out completely.

Kaliana sighed and scooped Naruto up yet again. She placed him in bed and promptly hopped out the window. She landed outside the front door and closed that as well. She turned and stretched backwards until her back cracked.

"Ooh!" She groaned, slumping over slightly. "I'm gonna get old carrying that boy."

She stepped off the porch and headed home, yawning.

"Man, I'm tired. I can't wait to get home."

"_What about Kiba and Shikamaru? You are supposed to meet with them and share the information you've all acquired._"

"I know, but I'm just so tired! I used a lot of chakra back there, and even though you constantly restock me with it, well, it's still tiring."

"_I understand, lazy-bones. We shall meet with them tomorrow morning then?_"

"Yeah…let's do that."

* * *

Kiba lay in the forest in the cold darkness of the night in a pool of his own blood. He had been beaten, stabbed, and all around mutilated by Temari and Kankuro. Thoughts of Kaliana being forced into terminating the village…their home, began taunting him in his final moments.

_I have all the information I wanted…and now, I get to die with it…_

Kiba's heart ceased beating, his eyes becoming distant and cold.

* * *

Kaliana lifted her head high when the scent of blood hit her like a speeding locomotive. Her eyes became wide with terror.

_Oh no…Kiba!_

She took off like a torpedo towards the scent, tears welling up in her eyes as the familiar scent of death got closer.

She stopped dead in her tracks upon the very sight of Kiba's mangled body. Beside herself, she dropped to her knees in tears, unable to tear her eyes away from the gruesome scene.

"Hizoku…he's…he's dead…isn't he?" She stammered between her sniffles.

"_I am afraid so…but we may be able to revive him._"

Kaliana lifted her head slightly. "I'll do anything. Just tell me what to do."

"_Place your hands on him; your left on his head and your right on his chest. Remove the glove on your right hand._"

Kaliana did as Hizoku instructed and approached her cousins' blood-covered body. With tears cascading down her cheeks, she removed the glove and placed her hands on his head and chest.

"_Now, very slowly, fill him with white chakra. This will drain you though, as I cannot produce White Chakra as quickly as your own chakra. You will not be able to use that White Chakra for a while after this. Maybe even weeks. It will also weaken the hold I have on the Hound._"

"I don't care. I have to save Kiba." That said, Kaliana closed her eyes tightly and forced White chakra into Kiba's body.

For a long time, she stood over her cousin, gently refueling his lifeless form with the healing and mystical powers of White Chakra. Kiba's body began to illuminate, causing the area around them to glow faintly.

"_That is enough, Kaliana. Remove your hands and replace the glove._"

Once again, Kaliana did as she was told. She kept her eyes locked on Kiba, who was still not awake.

"How long will it take to work, Hizoku?"

"_He will not recessitate until morning, probably. You mustn't move his body while the White Chakra is working. His body cannot be touched. This process must not be disturbed._"

"Then I guess we're sleeping here tonight." Kaliana sighed, preparing to bed down.

"You don't have to do that, Kaliana…" A kind, familiar voice came from behind.

Kaliana turned, her eyes becoming soft and happy at the very sight of him…

**End of Chapter 26**

* * *

**_CH. 27 "A Deal With the Devil"_**

-------------------------------------------------

Kakashi's eyes shot open at the sound of approaching footsteps. Sasuke was, to his knowledge, sound asleep. Slowly, the Jounin got up, removing a knife from his pocket. The footsteps were directly behind him now. Kakashi whirled and lunged the knife at the throat of the suspect. The man leaned back, dodging the swift attack narrowly.

"Kakashi! Wait! It's me, Gai!" Gai shouted once he felt he was out of striking range.

"Gai? Jeez!" Kakashi embarrassingly returned the knife to his pocket. "What are you doing skulking around out here? I could've killed you!"

"I'm sorry. I know it's late, but I need to tell you something about Kaliana."

"Ah…" Kakashi eyed Gai sternly. "So, what'd she do?"

"Nothing…Well, I hadn't seen her in days. The last time I saw her was about 5 days ago. We were training…or at least hanging out, for 3 days. Then, when she went home that night, she never came back. I've been looking everywhere for her, but I can't find her."

Kakashi sighed and turned away. "She probably got tired of waiting and went back to the Academy in the Cloud Village. It's nothing to worry about." Kakashi brushed off. "I knew threatening to pull her out of that School would make her rethink her plans."

"Kakashi, listen! That's not the weird part. I went to check your apartment again today and she answered the door."

"Oh, so what're you worried about then?" Kakashi shrugged.

"It wasn't her!"

"But, I thought you just said…"

"It was someone performing a Transformation Jutsu to look like her! A bad attempt, too. There was someone in your apartment disguised as your niece. Aren't you even the slightest bit worried?"

"Not in the least." Kakashi shrugged. "It's no big deal."

"No big deal? But what if you're wrong, Kakashi? What if something really big is going on? I mean, she could've been kidnapped for all you know!"

"Kidnapped?" Kakashi laughed "Oh, Lord…Gai, we're talking about Kaliana here…remember that time she performed a less-then-perfect Shadow Clone jutsu and convinced everyone it was her long-lost, mentally challenged sister? What about the time she tried to perform the Transformation Jutsu for the first time? She was a boy for two months. We had to hold an intervention!"

Gai looked down embarrassingly as he reminisced about the ridiculous incidents. Kaliana was a shameless prankster, after all…

"And remember that time she convinced you that she was really my daughter?" Kakashi ascended a brow. "The live result of an in-between classes grope-fest between myself and Rin?"

"That one was reasonably believable…" Gai muttered.

"You were right there when my sister went into labor with her, dumbass!" Kakashi snapped. "Kaliana can convince anyone of anything…she could sell a raw, dripping hamburger to a die-hard vegan! She was and always will be a prankster. Her coming back to the Leaf Village was just a joke, and so is what she pulled with you today. I know it for a fact; I knew it the moment I saw her."

"You just know everything, don't you?" Gai's voice became cold and angry. "You know everything about her and what she thinks and how she feels, am I right, Kakashi? Just like you KNEW her father would run out on Akita after Kaliana was born! You knew that didn't you? You KNEW Kamachi was a terrible person with no brains in his skull and no love in his heart. Yes, you were so certain about that…but remember, Kakashi…you were wrong then. And you're wrong now! You're **so** wrong!"

Kakashi glared at his long time friend and rival in the twilight of the evening. He turned away. "Go home, Gai. You really need some rest. I'm sorry I put you in charge of looking after her while I was gone. It was a mistake; I should've known you'd become paranoid. Tomorrow is the Chunin exams, and that's when I'll return; not a day or night earlier. Understand?"

Gai eyed Kakashi, who stood tall and stubborn under the light of the moon. The fuzzy-browed Jounin shook his head with disappointment and began heading back down the mountain. Before becoming totally lost in the shadows, he stopped and turned slightly.

"Ever since I met you Kakashi, I've always been envious of how cool you were. I always wanted to be as confident and even-minded as you. But, tonight…" Gai turned and faced Kakashi. "…Tonight, I'm ashamed of you. I NEVER want to be anything like you."

That said, Gai vanished into the night, leaving Kakashi with some harsh words and thoughts to distract him from what was supposed to be a good nights sleep.

* * *

Kaliana threw her arms tightly around Gaara and hugged him close. Gaara, used to her affectionate behavior by now, returned the gesture for the first time ever.

"I'm so happy to see you Gaara. I…I missed you."

Gaara blushed and suck his chin into her shoulder. "You…did?" Kaliana rubbed her head on his, answering the question without the use of words. Gaara smiled warmly to himself. "I…missed you too. I'm sorry about your cousin. I knew what they were going to do to him, but I didn't get here in time. I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't worry about it. Kiba will be fine. He just needs to rest now." Kaliana slowly parted from him, now locking her eyes on Gaara's. "He'll be awake by morning. I just need to watch over him tonight." She forced a smile beneath her mask.

"No…you're weak and tired. I can sense it. You go home and sleep. I'll watch him for you." Gaara offered.

"You'd do that for me?"

Gaara smiled and turned away, not yet used to feeling this strange emotion. He returned his gaze, a certain courageous look in his eyes.

"Yes."

She smiled at him and sighed. "Thank you, Gaara."

"Your friend, Shikamaru…I hadn't seen him. I believe he's gone up to Hokage Mountain to warn Kakashi."

"Warn him of what?"

"That the Sound Village is going to use the Hound inside you to destroy the Leaf Village tomorrow."

"**THEY'RE GONNA DO WHAT!?"** Kaliana roared in disbelief.

"You…didn't know?"

"**NO I DIDN'T KNOW!** That dumb girl in the Cloud Village didn't know anything! I wouldn't have come back had I known!"

"That's why Kankuro and Temari killed your cousin. I told him and Shikamaru all about the Sound Village's plan and they were going to tell your Uncle and the Hokage."

"Oh, man! This is NOT good! What am I going to do? Should I leave?"

"Don't worry Kaliana. Your Uncle will be home tomorrow. That's when you can tell him. Rest tonight."

Kaliana sat down against a tree, cradling her head. "Gaara, I need to tell you something…"

Gaara sat near her, his eyes narrow with concern. "What is it?"

"These past couple days, I've been…remembering things. Things that the Sound Village doesn't want me to remember. I remember the night that Dosu put the Memory Seal Jutsu on me. I remember a guy with white hair…he was there the night I stole the scroll. I remember…I killed those 2 guards." A few tears escaped from the corners of her eyes. "And I remember doing it…What will I remember tomorrow? What other horrible things have they made me do? What do they plan on making me do…tomorrow?"

"The Memory Seal Jutsu has faded. Everything will come back to you with time. There are going to be things that you don't want to remember, but you'll be able to handle it. You're strong."

"I guess so."

Kaliana's melancholy tone suggested to Gaara that she was unsure of her own strength. He scooted closer.

"Look on the bright side. At least you won't have to worry about Dosu coming back to put the Memory Seal Jutsu on you again."

"Yeah? What makes you so sure about that?"

Gaara grinned. "I killed him."

"No way!? I totally took out 2 other Sound Ninjas a few nights ago!" Kaliana exclaimed joyfully.

"See?" Gaara smiled, happy that her spirits had once again been lifted. "We're already winning!"

Kaliana chuckled, feeling much better about the whole ordeal. She put her head on his chest and sighed.

"It's a shame not many people know of this side of you, Gaara. You're a great friend."

Gaara blushed slightly. "It takes one to make one."

Without the slightest warning, Kaliana pulled down her mask, reached over and gave Gaara a kiss on his cheek. She then got up and began walking away.

"I need to sleep. Good night."

"Wait!" Gaara called, quickly getting to his feet. "What was that for?" He asked, gently rubbing his cheek.

Kaliana turned to face him once again. "That? Oh, well that was for being a great friend when I needed one." Kaliana took a few steps closer, leaned over and pushed her lips against his.

Gaara stood rigid and paralyzed. Never before had he experienced anything like this in his entire life. Kaliana pulled away and returned the mask to her face. "THAT was for putting the whack on that asshole who graced my brain with this messed up Jutsu." She finished with a wink. "Catch ya tomorrow!"

With that, she was gone. Gaara sighed heavily and fell back on his bottom. He leaned back to gaze at the stars, which looked more beautiful that night then any other night. He slowly turned towards the glowing Kiba.

"I'm sorry my brother and sister did this to you. I'll make it up to you, I promise…by protecting your cousin."

* * *

Kaliana yawned and stretched before climbing into bed. She leaned against her pillow, struggling to hold open her sleepy eyes.

"Gaara grew up to be pretty hot." She quipped, smirking contently.

The sword let out a quiet chuckle. "_You are so going to prison._"

Kaliana grinned and closed her eyes. "What? Age ain't nothin' but a number, buddy..."

_"Yeah…THAT'LL fly well in court…"_

After a few silent moments, Kaliana drifted into slumber. Hizoku, too allowed its mind to rest.

* * *

_The Hound paced the length of his chain, contemplating. He was enraged, confused and thirsty for vengeance._

"_**That wretched little girl and that two-timing sword…I can't believe they banded together to manipulate me into threatening that weak fox. How dare they? Such disrespect should be punishable by death. Death to the both of them. But I cannot do it alone, no. I need assistance from the outside. Let me think…**__" _

_The Hound spent an hour lost in thought until he finally came to a conclusion._

"_**That night…the night I was first awakened…I saw her in the mirror. For only a moment, but a moment was all I needed…**__" He recalled the particular piece of jewelry that dangled from her neck. The eye that had such a sparkle of life to it. "__**That eye…the same one that interrupted our battle the first time. It is the same as the one that hangs from her snappable neck. The night it appeared in her subconscious, it disabled me with its own chakra. Unbeknownst to its possessor, I absorbed it with my Spirit, and am now able to communicate with he who holds this girl captive.**__" The Hound sneered and hissed at the idea. "__**The White Chakra chains are weak tonight. I can feel it. I shall take advantage of this. I will fill the eye with my angry spirit. When my final Black chakra flame is released, I will make myself known and strike a deal with this man who forced her into stealing my sacred scroll. The girl will die, and I will be set free.**__"_

_And the Hound slowly allowed his Spirit to fill the capacity of the eye around Kaliana's neck. _

"_**Now, I shall wait…redemption will soon be paid…**__"_

* * *

**Day of the Chunin Exams: 5:00 a.m.**

Gaara peered over his shoulder as Kiba's glow faded and died. Slowly, Kiba stirred, moaning and whimpering. Gaara grinned.

_He's awake and alive. My job here is done._

Gaara disappeared into the bushes, his presence through the night unknown to the disoriented boy. The distant sound of barking caused Kiba to open his eyes slightly.

"Ak…a…ma…ru?"

The barking got closer, the shuffling of feet directly behind it. Within moments, Akamaru burst from the bushes, his little tail wagging with great happiness to see his master was okay. Shikamaru appeared moments later, hobbling.

"Kiba!" He panted out, rushing to Kiba's side. He dropped to his knees and lifted Kiba to a sitting position. "I have been looking for you all night! What're you doing here? Are you alright?"

"Dude…what're you doing in my room?" Kiba mumbled, his eyes mostly closed.

"Room? Kiba, you're outside in the forest!"

"No, we're not…ugh…close the window…it's cold in here…"

Shikamaru sighed. "Oh man. They really must've beaten you in the head or something. C'mon. Let's get you home."

With some difficulty, Shikamaru managed to pull Kiba to his feet. Together, they left the forest and headed back to Konoha.

* * *

**6:00 a.m.**

Kabuto finished wrapping his arm wounds with some bandages, cutting the ends with his teeth. A burst of white clouds appeared in the room suddenly, leaving Orochimaru in its place. Kabuto whirled around to greet him.

"Lord Orochimaru! You've returned!"

"Yes…" Orochimaru answered, circling the room and eyeing Kabuto's bandages. "What happened to your arm?"

"Hmm? Oh, I...umm…paper cut…Bad one…" Kabuto's eyes shifted to the ground nervously. "So…how was your trip? Did you find her?"

"Indeed. Right where I expected her to be. And, she brought a guest! That fox kid…"

"Naruto?" Kabuto questioned. "What was he doing there?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

_That's interesting…_ Kabuto thought to himself. _That's very interesting… _"And the orphan?" He steered the subject in a different direction.

Orochimaru laughed. "What orphan?" He paused to admire Kabuto's uncertain grin. "What about you, Kabuto? Did you make yourself useful and break the code as I entrusted you to do?"

"Yes, sir. I figured out the final clue." Kabuto removed a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to his master.

Orochimaru smiled at the picture of the big, golden stallion.

"Uma." He whispered.

* * *

_The Hounds' eyes shot open at the word._

"_**He has unraveled the last clue. My time has come.**__"_

* * *

A Black chakra flame escaped from the symbol that revealed itself on the scroll. But rather then dash out the window in search of Kaliana, it wriggled and stretched, as though it were trying to shape itself into something else. Orochimaru and Kabuto exchanged suspicious glances.

"This is new…" Orochimaru muttered.

Suddenly, Orochimaru drew back, yowling with pain with his hand over his left eye socket. A black light illuminated from the empty space and made contact with the twitching chakra flame. Orochimaru slowly removed his hand.

"What…is this?" He stammered painfully.

Kabuto observed the scene curiously. "It looks like your head is…acting as a movie projector or something…"

As though reacting to his words, the chakra flame formed into a miniature holographic version of the Hound. The light that led into Orochimaru's eye appeared to act as a leash. Orochimaru stared in wonder as the pain subsided. Both he and his henchman eyed the miniature form of the Hound with great interest. The Hound, too, observed them with curiosity and suspicion.

"_**ARE YOU THE ONE WHO HOLDS THE GIRL CAPTIVE?**_" The Hound asked with a growl. "_**THE ONE WHO RELEASED MY CHAKRA?**_"

"I am." Orochimaru said dreamily. "Lord Hound, it is I who wishes to release you. I am Orochimaru, leader of the Sound Village."

The Hounds' holographic form paced the length of the scroll.

"_**OROCHIMARU IS IT? WELL OROCHIMARU, I AM HERE TO STRIKE A DEAL WITH YOU IN REGARDS TO THE GIRL.**_" The hound stopped to eye Kabuto. "_**I WISH TO SPEAK WITH YOU IN PRIVATE.**_"

"Anything you say to me, Lord Hound, can be said in front of Kabuto here. I trust his loyalties to me more then anything. You needn't worry about him." Orochimaru said with a respectful bow.

"_**VERY WELL THEN. HERE IS WHAT I WANT: IN EXCHANGE FOR MY SERVICES OF DESTROYING THE PUNY LEAF VILLAGE, I WANT YOU TO RELEASE ME FROM MY PRISON SO THAT I MAY WALK FREE ONCE AGAIN. IT WILL BE WORTH YOUR WHILE.**_"

"And what may I ask is in it for me, Lord Hound?" Orochimaru inquired.

"_**THE POWER I OFFER YOU IS KNOWN AS THE POUND OF HOUNDS JUTSU. BECAUSE YOU CONTROL THE GIRL, YOU WILL CONTROL MY BODY AS WELL ONCE YOU PERFORM THE FEROCIOUS HOUND JUTSU, WHICH YOU HAVE FIGURED OUT THE CLUES TO. YOU HAVE 7 HANDSEALS TO PERFORM, WHICH WILL SUMMON THE RAGE AND POWER OF 7 HOUNDS. 7 HOUNDS THAT YOU MAY CONTROL TO DESTROY WHICHEVER VILLAGE YOU WISH. ONCE I GRANT YOU THAT POWER, YOU WILL THEN RELEASE ME.**_"

"Sounds like a very fair trade. How will I go about releasing you?"

"_**A SIMPLE TASK, ONE THAT REQUIRES BUT A POWERFUL THRUST TO THE HEART WITH THE BLADE HIZOKU.**_"

Kabuto took a step forward. "Thrust through whose heart?"

"_**KALIANA'S OF COURSE!**_" The Hound roared with agitation. "_**SO TELL ME, OROCHIMARU. DO WE HAVE A DEAL OR DON'T WE?**_"

Orochimaru stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. "The trade is fair. I will stab the girl in her heart with Hizoku and set you free in exchange for the power of the Pound of Hounds...AFTER we destroy the Leaf Village, of course…"

Kabuto snapped his head towards his master, a look of worry and hesitation in his eyes. _No!_

The Hound grinned. "_**EXCELLENT. DOUBLE CROSS ME, HOWEVER…**_" Orochimaru began to shudder as blood seeped from his empty eye socket. "_**…AND I WILL ABSORB EVERY OUNCE OF CHAKRA YOU POSSESS. UNDERSTOOD?**_"

Orochimaru nodded through the pain. "Yes…sir…"

Kabuto grunted and turned away, biting his fingernails nervously.

"_**WONDERFUL!**_" The Hound laughed. "_**GOOD DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU. HERE, AS I PROMISED, THE 7 HANDSEALS FOR THE POUND OF HOUNDS JUTSU.**_"

The Hound gently guided his claws along the scroll, writing with his own paws, the handseals for the exclusive Pound of Hounds Jutsu. Once he was finished, he slowly faded away.

"_**REMEMBER THE DEAL, OROCHIMARU. YOU TURN ON ME, YOU DIE. HAVE A NICE DAY.**_"

The Hound as well as the Black chakra flame returned through the violet light illuminating from Orochimaru's eye, and the glowing faded and died, leaving Orochimaru and Kabuto alone with the new handseals on the open scroll. Orochimaru reached for it shakily, cradling it as though it were a precious newborn.

"Lord Orochimaru…" Kabuto called quietly. "Are we really going to kill Kaliana?"

Orochimaru looked up at Kabuto with sincerity. "My dear boy…of course we are. You don't really think I'm going to double cross the Hound, do you? Besides, I don't need her anymore. Why would I when I have the power of 7 Hounds?"

Kabuto lowered his eyes to the floor. "Killing her wasn't in the original plan…"

Orochimaru turned slowly, his eyes narrow. He made his way towards Kabuto, who backed up in hopes of avoiding close-contact with his displeased employer, but rapidly found himself pinned against the wall. Orochimaru brought his face close to Kabuto's, growling a little in his throat.

"You know, Kabuto…you've had a very unhealthy obsession with her since the moment you met her. To be honest…it makes me kinda jealous." He rubbed his long fingernails against Kabuto's face. "Just remember where your loyalties lie…" Kabuto tried to look away, but the domineering Sanin grabbed his face and forced him to look him in the eye. "They lie with me, Kabuto…Not her. Remember that."

Kabuto leered coldly at his master, then nodded. "Of course, my Lord. How could I ever forget?"

"How indeed…" He growled before leaving the room.

Kabuto sat alone with his thoughts. _The nerve…Orochimaru is obsessed with Sasuke…He desires the destruction of the Leaf Village…he has an insatiable craving for power…But what about me?_ All his life was spent pleasing others; but meeting Kaliana made him question his own happiness. _His_ obsession…_his_ desire…_his_ insatiable craving…

He got to his feet, fire ablaze in his eyes.

_I'm sorry, Lord Orochimaru…but I can't let you kill her. I won't let you kill her. I WILL stop you…I promise…_

**End of Chapter 27/End of ACT IX**

* * *


	10. ACT X The Chunin Exams

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction**_

_**ACT X: The Chunin Exams**_

**_CH. 28 "Double Crossers and Headliners"_**

* * *

Kabuto entered the cold, dim room known in the Sound Village as the 'Incinerating Room'. Any dead Sound ninja or spies were brought to the cellar and their bodies destroyed. Kabuto only hoped they hadn't destroyed _their_ bodies yet.

"You there…" Kabuto called to a Sound ninja who was busy taking notes on the bodies and how they died.

The man ran to Kabuto and bowed respectfully. "Yes, sir?"

"Tell me…have their bodies been recovered yet?"

"Kin and Zaku? Yes sir. Just this morning, actually."

"Have they been destroyed yet?"

"No sir. We were waiting to ask you if we should perform an autopsy. Their wounds are violent and unusual."

"Unnecessary. Let me see them."

The man led Kabuto to the beds were Kin and Zaku's bodies lay. Kabuto glared at the man.

"Now leave." He ordered.

"Very good sir." The man bowed once again and left.

Kabuto looked into the faces of his fallen comrades. Slowly, he lifted his arms and proceeded to make some handseals.

"My father taught me a very useful Jutsu before he died. It allows me to see into the memory cells of a dead shinobi and absorb the memories from their past 3 days of living." He placed his hand on Zaku's forehead. "Now let's see if either of you have witnessed anything useful."

Kabuto closed his eyes and allowed Zaku's final memories to fill his own mind.

* * *

_Kaliana sat leaning against a tree, her mask hanging off her face and a brownie stuffed in her cheeks. Neji and TenTen sat near her, stuffing their own faces full of the brownies. Gai sat sleeping behind them all, brownie crumbs on his lips._

"_Kaliana…" TenTen moaned between Gai's snores. "These brownies rock! What's in them that makes them so good? Is it nutmeg?"_

"_You see that clump of green stuff hanging out of the sides?" Kaliana reached over and pulled a piece of the green from the corner of one of the brownies._

_Neji pulled it from her fingers and shoved it in his mouth. "It's good…"_

"_That's bud." Kaliana winked._

"_Bud?" TenTen questioned, licking her chocolatey teeth. "What do you mean?"_

_Gai snorted and opened his eyes slightly. "She means these brownies are laced with weeeeeeed!" _

_Neji and TenTen stopped their gorging, bringing the brownies to a halt near their mouths._

"_Weed?" TenTen questioned nervously. "As in marijuana?"_

"_Well, yeah!" Kaliana shrugged. "Why? Is that bad?"_

_Neji leapt to his feet, dropping his brownie back in the basket._

"_You've been feeding me marijuana-laced brownies!? Dude, there's gonna be drug testing at the Chunin exams! I can't test positive for weed! Aw, dude! Why didn't you tell me?!"_

"_Dude!" TenTen laughed. "You're so busted!"_

"_Dude, don't even worry about it…" Gai stretched. "They don't care about weed, they're looking for steroids in those drug tests. Neji, dude…chill."_

_Kaliana laughed a little to herself. "Is it a side effect of marijuana that causes people to overuse the word 'dude'?"_

"_Dude!" TenTen cheered._

"_Dude…" Neji moaned._

"_Dude…" Gai chuckled._

* * *

Kabuto removed his hand from Zaku's forehead, glaring at the dead body with distaste.

"You spent 3 days watching Kaliana and Gai Maito's squad getting stoned?" He finished by punching Zaku's corpse in the side. "Useless! You deserved to die!"

He turned his attention to Kin's body. He performed the same handseals before placing his hand on her forehead.

"Let's hope you noticed something useful…" He muttered as he closed his eyes.

* * *

_"Itachi, hold on! What're we going to do now?"_

_Itachi stopped and turned ever so slightly, glancing at Kisame with the corner of his red, swirling eyes._

_"Simple…we wait."_

_"Wait? For what?"_

_Itachi let out a low chuckle. "We're not the only ones interested in this girls' power."_

_Itachi looked up at a tree several hundred feet away from the apartment. He could see through the branches and into the darkness at the girl who watched to two of them with shock in her eyes and sweat on her brow; the sun raining through the branches and reflecting its rays off the symbol of the Sound Village._

_Itachi grinned slightly. "While they do all the hard work, we shall wait to reap the benefits."_

_With that, they both vanished, leaving behind only a cloud of smoke that dispersed into the air almost immediately._

_  
Kin leaned against the branches, her breathing labored and her eyes wide._

_Akatsuki…They saw me…I must tell Kabuto that they've discovered Kaliana's power…_

_Kin attempted to get up, but she'd spent herself be leaving her post a block away and coming this close to the apartment. The cramps had all but crippled her completely. With an exasperated sigh, she leaned back again._

* * *

Kabuto removed his hand from Kin's head; his eyes wide with pleasant surprise at Kin's final memories.

"Akatsuki! They've learned of the Hound and now they are after Kaliana as well! I may be able to work this to my advantage…"

Kabuto left the Sound Morgue, intent on locating Itachi and his partner with hopes that they'd be in the mood to strike a deal…

* * *

**Chunin Exam Day— 9:00 a.m.**

Kaliana moaned and groaned as she slowly rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. After completing her business, she stood sleepily in front of the mirror. She rubbed the crust from her eyes and leaned forward to get a better look at the black rings beneath them. She shuddered at the paleness of her skin.

"Ugh…look at me! I look like a damn vampire." She pulled at her stringy hair, which hung flat against her shoulders. "Actually, I kinda look like that freak Orochimaru!"

Kaliana suddenly stopped at her own words.

"Orochimaru?"

A sudden pain shot through her head, as though her brain were being pried open. Her eyes widened as the memories of the year after she had been captured by Zabuza flooded through her mind; fresh as though the events had only occurred yesterday…

* * *

_Kaliana gasped and choked as a large amount of water was dumped on her face._

_"That was for your stench." The massive mummy-wrapped ninja hissed. He picked her up by the back of her jacket and tossed her forward._

_She landed on the ground in a heap of dirt with a thud. Kaliana squinted through the bright rays. It had been so long since she'd seen the sun. It burned at her pasty skin. She grunted as she tried to peer through the brightness at the tall, lanky man that stood before; his slim size dwarfed by Zabuza's massive figure._

_"Here's the little witch, Lord Orochimaru." Zabuza said, holding out his hand eagerly. " Haku has taken the sword and hidden it 5 miles away, as you so strangely requested. Now then, I'll need twice the amount, if you don't mind. She was…difficult."_

_"She's worth every cent, Zabuza. I'm pleased. Here; take your money. It was great doing business with you."_

_Kaliana looked up at the thin man again, as her eyes finally adjusted to the sun. He was tall and thin; his skin pale and sick and his hair stringy and black. She attempted to stand, only to be shoved down by Zabuza's foot._

_"You haven't been given permission to move, you worm." Zabuza growled._

_"Zabuza, please." Orochimaru cooed. "Your job is done. Let her up so that we may become a little more aquainted…"_

_"You heard Dracula! Get your fat foot off my spine!" Kaliana snapped, wriggling beneath Zabuza's great weight._

_"Ooh!" Orochimaru chuckled. "She is a fiery one, isn't she? I like that a lot. KABUTO!"_

_A young boy with white hair and glasses appeared from behind Orochimaru. "Sir?" He asked respectfully._

_Orochimaru reached down, snatched Kaliana by the collar of her jacket and flung her into Kabuto's arms._

_"Meet your first mission. Kabuto, this is Kaliana. You will be guarding her from now on."_

_Kabuto stood silent as his eyes took in every ounce of the beautiful girl who had been thrust into his arms so suddenly._

_Kaliana wasn't pleased and definitely didn't feel the way this young boy was feeling. She tried to gently pull away, but this young man had her locked against him, his eyes never wandering from her. Kaliana tried pulling away again, only to have him yank her right back. Kaliana had all but lost her patience._

_"LET GO OF ME, NERD!" She warned, trying again to pull away._

_"I obey only Lord Orochimaru, and as far as he's concerned, I am to hold you like this until further notice."_

_Kaliana threw her head back and launched it forward again; crushing Kabuto's glasses and knocking the boy clean out._

_"YOUR NOTICE HAS BEEN SERVED!"_

_Kaliana attempted an ill-conceived escape, only to be bashed on the back of her head by Orochimaru, who was surprisingly much stronger then he looked…_

* * *

**Chunin Exam Day—10:00 a.m.**

Naruto sleepily stepped out of his apartment; his undershirt and boxers disheveled after removing his jacket and pants in his sleep. He tossed back his head, yawning and stretching his arms to the sky.

"Well…today's' the day! I'm gonna rock the Chunin Exams! Believe it!!!!!"

Naruto's early victory cheer was short lived, as the morning paper cracked him in the face, causing him to tumble backwards. He snatched the paper and leapt to his feet, waving and yelling at the paperboy.

"HEY WATCH WHERE YOU'RE THROWING THESE, YA CREEP!"

As he flung the paper over his head, he couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the headline. He pulled the paper close and read it, his eyes nearly bulging from his skull at the bold printing and accompanying photo.

**KALIANA INUZUKA FOUND DEAD AT HOME IN CLOUD VILLAGE; SUICIDE SUSPECTED**

"OH NO!!!!!! THE SAND ORPHAN!" Naruto dropped the paper and frantically dashed inside to get dressed. Within moments, he was out the door again and racing down the street towards Kakashi's apartment.

* * *

Shikamaru sleepily crept down the stairs, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He hadn't had very good nights' sleep at all, and was seriously considering pulling out of the exams that day. He tiredly glanced over at his father, who was chuckling to himself while reading the comics in the paper.

"That Beetle Bailey…what a crack up…" Shikaku muttered with a laugh as he turned the page.

Shikamaru squinted his eyes at the Headline on the paper. He rushed down the stairs the rest of the way and snatched the paper from his father's hands.

"HEY! I was reading that!"

Shikamaru's jaw dropped as he read through the front page.

"Oh boy…NOT GOOD!"

Shikaku watched in disbelief as his son flew out the door without another word.

"SHIKAMARU, WAIT! BRING ME BACK THE COMICS!"

* * *

Kiba opened the door to his room and sleepily stumbled out. He nearly collided with his sister as he blindly wandered towards the bathroom.

"Whoa, looks like you'll be stayin' home today! You look awful." Hana joked as she set down newspaper for the puppies in the house.

Kiba responded with a grunt as he barricaded himself in the bathroom. When he was finished, he shuffled sleepily back towards his room. The bold headline on the paper a puppy was using caught the corner of his eye. Slowly, he turned his head and read the large lettering.

**KALIANA INUZUKA FOUND DEAD AT HOME IN CLOUD VILLAGE…**

Kiba launched himself at the puppy and yanked the urine-soaked paper from under it, causing the confused pup to go flying into the wall. It whimpered loudly and scampered away, its tail tucked between its legs. Kiba held up the dripping paper and read the story to himself, his eyes tearing up with each gruesome detail.

"Kaliana…" Ha managed to squeak out. He forced himself to bring his eyes to the picture that accompanied the story. His eyes bulged at the girl with black hair in high pigtails. "What the-…? That's NOT my cousin! What's going on here?"

It suddenly hit him…the beating, the questioning, the information he held in his head.

"KIBA! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" Tsume screamed upon seeing her son holding a paper soaked with dog urine dripping on the carpet.

"I GOTTA GO!" Kiba's voice faded as he disappeared out the door and down the street in his pajamas.

* * *

Kankuro and Temari jumped as Baki stormed into the room, a crumpled morning paper in his hands.

"WHAT A MESS! HOW UNPROFESSIONAL OF OROCHIMARU TO LEAVE BEHIND SUCH A DAMN MESS!" Baki tossed the paper on the table with great force.

Kankuro and Temari stared, shocked at the picture and the headline that went with it.

"That is definitely going to raise a few eyebrows." Temari stated, not being able to take her eyes off the story.

"NO KIDDING!" Baki roared, stomping out of the room.

Temari and Kankuro exchanged glances.

"Give it a minute…" Kankuro muttered quietly.

"BOTH OF YOU GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND GET OUT THERE AND FIND GAARA!" Baki screamed from the outside.

"There it is." Kankuro nodded with a sigh.

Temari groaned as she slowly got up and headed for the door, Kankuro at her side.

"Baki Sensei." Temari called as she passed him by. "What do we do when we find Gaara?"

"He's a traitor. What do we do with traitors, Temari?" Baki hissed irritably.

Temari took a step back. "You expect us…to kill him?"

Baki looked back at her, his eyes narrow. "I expect you to die trying."

The siblings gasped in horror at his words.

"You can't be serious!?" Kankuro begged.

"Kaliana has made the Shukaku weak by bewitching your brother. It feeds on hatred, but since he met Kaliana, hatred no longer fills his heart. Essentially, the demon in him is dying." Baki lowered his voice almost to a whisper. "The two of you working together may just be strong enough to take him out. I'll not have years of plan go to ruin because he betrayed us. You two should feel the same. Now go."

Temari took a deep breath and stepped outside. Kankuro hesitated, but slowly followed his sister; both of them extremely unsure about this new and deadly mission.

* * *

With a loud, painful cry, Kisame managed to yank the final glass shard from his face; this particular one had been deeply buried in his eye for 2 days now. Kisame sighed with relief.

"Finally…" He quickly went to work putting gauze and wrap on his eye so that it would heal. "Damn rat..."

Itachi growled at the headline on the paper.

"How annoyingly confusing." He hissed. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Perhaps I can shed some light on this mystery…"

Itachi and Kisame leapt to their feet at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. Itachi kept his hand on the handle of his sword, Kisame having his own fists filled with Shuriken, ready to strike.

Itachi's eyes wandered over his shoulder, where a small breeze brushed against him; a man dropping himself from the branches above. Itachi unsheathed his sword and whiled around to face Kabuto; his blade resting on the white-haired boys' throat.

"Who are you?" Itachi demanded, pressing the blade against Kabuto's jugular vein.

"One who wishes to help you." Kabuto answered a bit nervously. "I have the answers about this girl you're hunting. And if I'm correct, which I usually am…you have questions."

Itachi's eyes wandered to Kabuto's headband. With a sneer and lightning fast reflexes, Itachi brought his blade to the right side of the metal plate and dragged the sword the length of the plate, slashing it in half and, in doing so, leaving a deep cut on Kabuto's forehead. Kabuto cringed, but didn't dare move his arm to wipe the blood or soothe the wound. He stayed straight and tall, only his eyes indicating any form of pain. Itachi replaced the blade on his throat.

"Who do you work for? Because I know damn well it isn't the Leaf Village, or else you wouldn't be here right now." He forced the point of the sword deeper into Kabuto's neck, his skin puckering with the force.

"I'm…employed to…the Sound Village…" Kabuto stammered out, fearful for his life. "My name…is Kabuto…"

Itachi's eyes brightened a little. "Ah, yes. I thought I recognized you." He removed the point from the other man's neck and sheathed his sword, not feeling threatened in the least by the man before him. "You're Orochimaru's little Cabana boy."

Kabuto growled at Itachi's insinuation. "I'll have you know that Lord Orochimaru and I share a respectable business partnership. Any other rumors you hear about him and I are untrue." He answered sternly, checking his neck thoroughly for puncture wounds.

"Sure they are." Kisame laughed. Even Itachi joined his shark-faced comrade with a light chuckle.

Kabuto growled, losing his patience. "Do you wish for more information on what exactly is going on here or don't you? If not, I'll just leave."

He turned away in an attempt to leave, only to have the back of his shirt snagged by the tip of Itachi's sword. Itachi twisted the sword into Kabuto's clothing, then dug the weapon with the attached boy into the bark of a tree. Kabuto was now trapped.

Itachi and Kisame circled him intently. Kabuto was beginning to think that this perhaps was a bad idea.

"I don't care what the Sound Village wants with her…I don't care to hear of her history with the Sound Village or this strange headline declaring her death, yet exhibiting a photo of another girl...all I want to know is 1, why are you here trying to betray Orochimaru? And 2, what do you get out of it if you share this information with us?"

"You ask all the wrong questions, Itachi." Kabuto stressed. "Today is a very important day, you should be asking what the Sound has had planned for her since she was 7 years old."

"But, I didn't ask you that, did I? I don't care."

"You should care! Because, today is the day that Lord Orochimaru forces Kaliana to transform into the demon beast that occupies her body. He will destroy the Leaf Village during the Chunin exams, and you'll be caught up in the middle of the ferocious destruction. Trying to kidnap her before time wouldn't help, because she's been spiritually linked to Lord Orochimaru, and he can control her no matter where you take her."

Itachi raised a brow with great interest. "Really?" He grinned. He looked over at Kisame, then motioned with his head towards Kabuto.

Kisame grabbed the sword and pulled, yanking it free from the tree and allowing Kabuto to fall to his knees. Itachi knelt down in Kabuto's face.

"Now then…what exactly do YOU want?"

Kabuto smiled and slowly got to his feet. "I'm going to tell you how and when to break the link that bonds Kaliana to Lord Orochimaru…it will best be done after she has transformed into the Hound, rendering her body vulnerable. My end of the exchange…is Kaliana."

"You want US to give her to YOU?" Kisame gasped in disbelief. "THAT'S your bargain? What the hell are WE supposed to get in exchange?"

Kabuto lifted the corner of his mouth in a half-grin. "An even trade; a demon for a demon."

"What demon do YOU have to trade?" Itachi questioned suspiciously.

Kabuto smiled fully, his eyebrow ascending slowly. "The Nine-Tailed Fox…."

**End of Chapter 28**

* * *

**_CH. 29 "Kakashi's Discovery"_**

--------------------------------------------

Kaliana stumbled out of the bathroom, eyes wide with great confusion.

"HIZOKU! HIZOKU, I JUST FLASHED! I JUST FLASHED ON ONE OF THE 3 YEARS OF MY MISSING LIFE!"

_"I am aware of that."_ Hizoku muttered. _"The Memory Seal Jutsu must have worn off. But still, the past 2 years of your life remains a mystery."_

"Not for long!" Kaliana called, trying to pull on her pants without falling. "I'm going to get out there and find Shikamaru and Kiba. They'll tell me what they found out, and I'll tell them what I remember. Maybe whatever knowledge they gained will jog the rest of my memory. But, first things' first…"

Kaliana grabbed Hizoku and once again, shoved it between her boxspring and mattress.

_"What could you possibly do first that's more important then exchanging valuable information?"_ The sword inquired.

"I need to find…ugh, I can't believe I'm saying this…Sasuke. I need to find out who his brother works for because I haven't flashed on anything that shows his sexy face, yet. Kuriochi! Come on, boy!"

Kuriochi poked his head out from under an old sock. "Kuri?" He yawned.

Kaliana held her pocket open. "Let's go, little man. I 'm gonna need your help."

Kuriochi wasted no time in scurrying from beneath the sock, clawing up Kaliana's leg and securing himself in her pocket. That done, Kaliana made a beeline for her window.

_"Kaliana wait…"_ Hizoku called.

Kali stopped, one foot on the windowsill and turned to the sword.

"Yeah, Hizoku?"

_"Please…be careful out there today. It is a very dangerous day for you. You could be abducted. Be aware, my friend. Trust no one."_

Kaliana smiled warmly beneath her mask. "Hey, as long as I'm within range of you, what could happen?"

That said, she dropped out of the window and hopped away into the trees, the memories of her past still fresh in her head.

* * *

_Kaliana opened her eyes slowly. It didn't take long for her to realize that she was once again, in the dark. She attempted to move, only to find her ankles shackled and her arms and head being held in some sort of medieval torture device. The wriggling of her chains caught the attention of the man outside the door of her tiny prison. The man entered the cell, a candle in his hands. Kaliana cringed at the greenish, pasty sight of her new captor._

_"You're awake…good." He hissed._

_"Who the hell are you?" Kaliana inquired, her face scrunched up distastefully._

_"My name is Orochimaru. I'm very happy to finally meet you, Kaliana. I've been after you for years."_

_"How incredibly creepy. What do you want from me?"_

_Orochimaru stroked her face with his cold, clammy hands. "Your power." He whispered._

_Kaliana pulled away. "Ugh! Don't touch me! What power are you talking about?"_

_Orochimaru took a step back. "You are unaware of it as of now, but you'll learn." He admired her face. "My goodness you have grown since I last saw you."_

_"How long, exactly, have you been stalking me, you creepy reptile?"_

_Orochimaru laughed. "Why, since you were a little girl…no more then 4 years old."_

_Kaliana's eyes widened. "FOUR? You sick, twisted bastard! You've been tracking me since I was 4?!"_

_"Ah, yes. I learned of you when your Uncle took custody after the tragic death of your mother. You see, I knew there was something special about you and not just because you were the niece of Kakashi Hatake. But a certain power…a light, if you will, radiated from you. Very few people could see it, and I wasn't about to let them take it all for themselves. I wasn't exactly sure how I could manage to capture you, but your uncle made it quite easy when he signed you up at the Cloud Village Kunoichi Academy. I have spies there, and they informed me immediately of your transfer. That's when I knew I had my chance. I teamed up with the Sand Village, purchased one of their many orphans and, disguised as a messenger from the Leaf Village, enrolled her as Kaliana Inuzuka in your place. Kakashi was never the wiser as he sent you off with spies from the Sand Village; he practically handed you right over to me."_

_Kaliana growled with rage as Orochimaru continued his story._

_"The Sand was supposed to keep you until you were 10, then I was to take you. But that damn Kazekage became greedy. He planned on having you battle their most powerful ninja…a certain little Sand boy who helped you escape…The Kazekage planned on telling me you had been accidentally killed during the battle with him, but he didn't count on his son betraying him and helping you to escape. That fool, he was useless to me after he let you get away…so I killed him." Orochimaru paused to give a sly grin. "You clever little shrew…you eluded me for nearly 3 years in that Toxic Swamp, but I finally found a competent, trained assassin to hunt you down. I heard you even gave the great Zabuza Momochi a run for his money. So much trouble, but now, I've got you."_

_"Gee, that was a great bedtime story. You realize you're a very demented man who needs serious therapy, right?" She flinched automatically, often used to receiving a painful strike when she opened her big mouth, but there came no abuse from the wicked Sanin._

_Orochimaru snatched her chin and lifted her head to face him._

_"Don't you worry. I will not strike you. But, that tongue of yours is going to get you into a lot of trouble unless you learn to control it." He whispered. "Of course, my tongue can be even more dangerous then yours…" He finished by sliding out his long, sinuous appendage and dragged it up and down Kaliana's face._

_"**EEEEEWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!**"_

_Orochimaru chuckled at her reaction and drew back. He unlocked the medieval torture device, allowing Kaliana to fall to her knees. He turned and started back towards the door._

_"NOW WHAT'RE YOU DOING?" Kaliana roared with frustration, as she rubbed her sore, bloody wrists._

_Orochimaru glanced back, grinning. "Unlike the Sand Village, my dear, you will not be confined to a cell. My castle is your home now. Explore it, if you wish. But there is no escape. You will remain here until I feel it is time for you to leave…"_

* * *

**Chunin Exams—11:00 a.m.**

Kiba cut around a corner in the Academy at a great pace, colliding into the Hokage and nearly knocking the ancient ninja off his feet.

"Kiba Inuzuka!" The old man scolded. "What is your hurry? Because unless it's of extreme importance, you really shouldn't rush around the halls like that! You'll liable to get yourself or someone else hurt. Do be careful."

Kiba simply sat on his bottom staring stupidly at the Hokage.

"You…I…uh, well…S…sorry…but…"

The Hokage cocked his head curiously upon noticing Kiba's wardrobe and sleep-rings beneath his eyes. He chuckled, shaking his heavy head.

"Young man, do yourself a favor and get some sleep. You look a mess!" That said, the old Hokage turned and proceeded to walk away.

Kiba's mind shouted at him to stand and deliver the message, but his body just wouldn't respond. Suddenly, the Kazekage appeared from the Hokage's side. The two respectable old men bowed to one another and continued to walk further away. Kiba suddenly leapt to his feet and dashed after them, waving the wet newspaper frantically.

"LORD HOKAGE WAIT!" He shouted, flailing wildly.

The men stopped and turned, the Hokage grunting with embarrassment.

"Excuse me for a second." He said to the Kazekage with a bow before walking towards Kiba.

"Of course." The Kazekage answered in a low voice, eyeing Kiba.

Kiba slid to a stop before colliding with the Hokage again. Sarutobi stood firm, his arms crossed and his face upset.

"Kiba, what on earth is the meaning of this? What is so important that you feel you must show me?"

"THIS!" Kiba thrust the wet paper into the Hokage's face. "SEE??"

The Hokage backed away, holding his nose. "Good Lord! Is that urine?!"

"Yeah, well…a little, but that's not the point! Read the headline!" Kiba pushed the filthy wet paper closer, his hands shaking excitedly.

The Hokage growled and turned away. "That paper is wet and the print has become runny! I can't read a thing! Go home, Kiba! You REALLY need the sleep!"

And with that, the Hokage walked past the Kazekage and continued on. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Lord Kazekage." Sarutobi apologized.

"Not a problem, my friend." The Kazekage answered, keeping his gazed locked on Kiba.

Kiba's slanted eyes met with Kazekage's cold, angry stare. The young Genin couldn't help but cringe and shudder at this man's icy gaze. Kiba backed away a few steps.

"Go home, boy." The Kazekage warned quietly. "You shouldn't be outside today…"

Kiba's heart leapt into his throat. "You…you're the one…who kidnapped Kaliana…"

The Kazekage simply turned to follow the Hokage down the hall.

"I'm sorry, young man. You seem to have me confused with someone entirely different". He ended with a maniacal snicker before disappearing around a corner.

Kiba stood dumbfounded for a moment, dropping the useless wet paper at his side.

_The Hokage didn't believe me…but maybe Kakashi Sensei will!_

Kiba turned and headed out the school and down the block. Kakashi would HAVE to be back by today…

* * *

Kakashi and Sasuke walked calmly down the empty street. No doubt, everyone was at the Stadium by now eagerly awaiting the starting of the Exams. Kakashi turned to his student.

"You think you're ready, Sasuke?"

"Of course I am." Sasuke grumbled. "I'm not coming out a loser in this."

"That's the spirit."

"It's not spirit; it's fact…" Sasuke's sentence faded as a newspaper from a vending machine caught his eye.

Kakashi stopped and turned when he realized his student was no longer following him.

"Sasuke? What is it?"

"Kakashi Sensei…I think you'd better read this…"

Kakashi strolled over and glanced at the headline. His eyes nearly popped from his skull. He grabbed Sasuke by the back of the shirt and yanked him out of the way and into a street lamp pole, causing an element of pure surprise to the unsuspecting Genin. Kakashi then latched onto the door of the machine and tore it off its hinges, tossing it over his shoulder with amazing force. It hit the bulb of the street lamp, shattering glass shards all over Sasuke. Kakashi ripped a paper from the machine and read the story with great interest.

**KALIANA INUZUKA FOUND DEAD AT HOME IN LEAF VILLAGE; SUICIDE SUSPECTED**

**Student of the Kunoichi Academy in the Village Hidden in the Clouds KALIANA INUZUKA was found dead in her home today. Evidence shows that it was a suicide, a ninja kunai knife buried deep in her heart. Kaliana was an Honor Roll student who was released on a 2-week vacation for her excellent grades. It is unknown what would cause such a successful young ninja to take her own life, but investigations are being pursued to unravel the mystery of this tragic death…****Story continues on page 5…**

Kakashi brought his worried eyes to the photo of the girl. He released a sigh of both relief and disbelief at the sight of the black-haired girl.

"What the f…that's NOT my niece! **WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE!?!?!?!**" Kakashi's voice bellowed throughout the empty town. Even Sasuke cringed at his Sensei's anger.

Kakashi wasted no time in taking off down the street towards his home. His charge was interrupted as he smashed into Gai, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Kakashi, there you are!" Gai cheered.

"WHAT IN LORDS NAME IS THIS?!" Kakashi roared, shoving the paper in Gai's face.

Gai gasped at the sight of the top story. "Oh, no! I have no idea! I didn't see the paper today! But…that girl isn't Kaliana…"

"I KNOW THAT!" Kakashi took off again, Gai at his heels.

"I tried to tell you something weird was going on!" Gai called as they both disappeared down the street.

---------------

Sasuke got up and grabbed a paper. He read the story intently, staring every so often at the picture.

"That's weird…" He stopped and looked up as he spotted Naruto dashing along the street, peering in every window he passed.

"Man, she's not home! She's not anywhere! I hope nothing's happened to her!" He screamed to himself as he frantically searched every ally, yard and home he passed. "Kaliana! Where are you?!"

Sasuke smiled. _I bet he knows what's going on…_

Naruto turned to check the next street, only to be gagged as his collar became snagged. He turned, choking, to see Sasuke.

"Sasuke! What do you want? Let me go!"

Sasuke shoved Naruto forward, causing him to trip and fall on his face.

"HEY!" Naruto roared at the top of his lungs.

His anger seemed to drift away as Sasuke dropped the paper at his feet. Naruto looked up at his rival curiously.

"Explain." Sasuke demanded.

Naruto growled and turned away. He promised not to tell, but he knew Sasuke was strong and liked Kaliana.

"Alright…maybe you can help…"

And Sasuke stood vigilant, absorbing every little detail Naruto had to tell about Kaliana and the Hound.

* * *

Kiba dashed down the street towards Kakashi's apartment. He decided he'd wait there for him, for Kakashi would no doubt check his place first after seeing the paper.

"Hey, Kiba!" A voice called from behind. Kiba stopped and turned to see Shikamaru jogging up behind him.

"Shikamaru! I tried telling the Hokage, but he wouldn't believe me! The Kazekage is here, too!"

"Did you see the paper?"

"Yeah, I did! What's going on? I haven't seen Kaliana since she left!"

"Me neither." Shikamaru rubbed his head tiredly. "Man, I have a huge headache, and things are just gonna get worse..."

Kiba and Shikamaru were suddenly ambushed; a large and evidently angry man charged them from out of nowhere, pinning them both to the wall with superb force. After regaining their senses, the boys were shocked to see them man who brought on such an attack.

"Kakashi Sensei!" The two shouted in unison.

"You two!" Kakashi shoved the paper in their faces, allowed some moments for them to read the headline, then yanked it from their eyes. "I know of everyone in this town, she'd tell you two everything! Now, you'd better tell me what she told you! TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!"

Gai slid around the corner and was shocked at the sight he witnessed.

"Kakashi, put them down! What are you doing?!"

"SHUT UP, GAI! I WANNA HEAR A DAMN GOOD EXPLAINATION FROM YOU TOO! DID YOU EVER FIND OUT ABOUT THAT WHITE CHAKRA LIKE I ASKED YOU TO???"

"…White chakra?" Gai cocked his head curiously. "What White chakra?"

"THE WHITE CHAKRA YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GET INFORMATION ON!"

Gai threw his hands in the air innocently. "I don't know anything about that! I thought you wanted information on her Sword!"

Kakashi turned to Gai, confused. "What sword?"

Shikamaru and Kiba exchanged a roll of the eyes.

"Well, it's good to see that you two are on the same page." Shikamaru muttered.

"Seriously, guys." Kiba started. "We know everything and we'll tell you what you want to know."

Kakashi, a bit calmer, lowered the boys to the ground gently, much to Gai's relief.

"Alright" Kakashi started gently. "What's going on with Kaliana?"

* * *

Kaliana bounded from rooftop to rooftop, calling loudly.

"HEY! ANYBODY! SHIKAMARU! KIBA! NARUTO! HEY!!!"

There came no answer. Kaliana groaned and plopped herself on her bottom, tired. She had wandered out of Hizoku's range, and was presently relying on her own chakra, which was draining quickly.

"WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYBODY!? They couldn't have gone to the Chunin Exams yet! I know they've gotta be looking for me! WHY CAN'T I FIND ANYBODY IN THIS HICK-ASS TOWN?"

"Yo." A voice called to her from behind.

On edge and very jumpy, Kaliana shrieked and dodged to the side, tumbling off the roof and landing in a pile of cardboard boxes in the ally below. She sat up with a groan.

"Ugh…who the hell…"

She looked up to see Sasuke standing over her, smiling.

"Did you miss me?" He flirted.

Kaliana stared at him for a minute before realizing who he was. "Hey! It's you! I've been looking for you!"

Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes. "Look, I know you think I'm really hot and you're dying to continue where we last left off, but I'm more curious about what's going on here…"

"Gee, I'll try to contain my lust." She groaned sarcastically in a monotone voice. "Now then, I have something to show you…" Kaliana got up and reached into her pocket. She whipped out her balled-up hand and shoved it in Sasuke's face. "BEHOLD!" She shouted, revealing a tiny gray puff-ball.

"…Pocket lint?" Sasuke squeaked curiously at the strange sight.

Kaliana growled. "It's NOT pocket lint! He's my friend! I…oh, wait…" Kaliana poked the gray wad gently. "Hmm…I guess it really IS pocket lint…" She tossed it on the ground and reached into her other pocket.

Sasuke groaned and rolled his eyes. "Well, if you're finished being stupid…"

"No, no! I have more!" Kaliana dug deep into the pocket before revealing a second lint-wad…but at least this one had eyes, ears and a little, pink nose.

"Kuri!" He greeted pleasantly, despite Sasuke's stunned and slightly grossed-out reaction.

"Kuriochi, turn into that guy again. You know which one I mean." Kaliana ordered.

"Ri ri!" Kuriochi agreed as he quickly performed a Transformation Jutsu.

Sasuke's leapt back in shock as the smoke cleared; the very sight of his brother was sickening.

"…Itachi…" He whispered hatefully.

"Ah, so you do know him! He's your brother, right?" Kaliana asked as Kuriochi dropped the jutsu.

"…Yes, but how do you know him?" Sasuke asked, not entirely sure he wanted the answer.

"I don't. He was in my room several days ago with some other guy. I don't know what they wanted, but I think it was my sword. Your brother and the other guy were wearing matching cloaks…black ones with red clouds on it. Who do they work for? Do you know?"

Sasuke gasped and turned away. "Akatsuki…"

"Who?"

"Akatsuki Organization. They're demon hunters. Oh man, are you in trouble."

"Do they have anything to do with Orochimaru?" Kaliana asked.

Sasuke snapped his head towards her. "Orochimaru? You know Orochimaru? How?"

"Well, I've kinda been held prisoner by him for 3 years…"

Sasuke turned away, a look of worry on his face. "Naruto failed to mention that…"

Kaliana cocked her head. "Naruto? **He** told you about me? Honestly, that boy has got the biggest mouth!" She ranted, throwing her arms up with frustration.

"Kaliana…" Sasuke called quietly, his back turned.

"What is it?"

"I have a question for you now…" He turned to face her, his hand attached to the right side of the collar on his shirt.

Kaliana looked at him curiously. "What question?"

"If you spent 3 years with Orochimaru…then maybe you know what he wants with me…"

"Well, knowing Orochimaru, I can think of at least three things he wants to do with you…"

"Seriously…What does this mean?" Sasuke tilted his head and pulled the collar down, revealing his neck.

Kaliana gasped at the sight of the curse mark. "That mark…I have seen it before. Was it last year? No, no…it was recently…I remember now…I remember…everything!!!!!!!"

**End of Chapter 29**

* * *

**CH. 30 "The Abduction"**

----------------------------------------------------------

_Kaliana's silhouette danced out of sight as she rounded the corner down a spiral staircase that led to the rest of the dark palace, which she had remained prisoner for 3 years. She had been granted liberty to wander the castle freely; never was she locked away in a cell in this place. Though the confusing palace had no doors to the outside world, Kali still tried valiantly each day to search for a secret exit so that she may free herself of the nightmare._

_So, on this, another day of imprisonment, Kaliana walked backwards down the sinister hallways, her eyes on the worn ceiling. She sighed with boredom._

_"Jeez, Orochimaru…would it kill you to invest in a Pool Table or something?" She ended with another sigh. "I'm just so damn bored…"_

_It had been like this for almost a year. Her training had stopped some months ago and she seemed to be ignored by just about everyone. And if there's one thing Kaliana could not stand, it was to be ignored, even by her captors._

_"Man, I wish something interesting would happen today!" She shouted with frustration just as her heel became snagged on a rock. She tumbled back and landed hard on her head. She lay there for a moment, simply staring up at the brick ceiling. "Well, I can't say that was as interesting as I hoped it'd be…"_

_Kaliana lifted her head as she heard shouting on the other side of the wall. It sounded like Orochimaru was yelling at someone. She slowly got to her feet and crept towards the wall. She leaned her ear against the brick, only to pull back when it slipped out from between the others and landed on the ground with a loud crack. Kaliana flinched and looked around cautiously. Orochimaru was shouting so loudly, he didn't even hear it. She knelt down and gently peered into the hole. The room was bright with candlelight and Kaliana could feel the warmth leaking into the dark, chilly hallway. Inside, Orochimaru was pacing frantically and shouting with distaste at a woman Kali had never seen before._

_"Lord Orochimaru, please…" The girl pleaded. "Take it away. It's drawing attention! Practically everyone in Konoha questions it!" The girl screamed, ripping down her shirt collar and revealing a strange looking tattoo._

_"Whoa…" Kaliana whispered to herself at the sight of the marking. "I'd of gone for a heart that says 'Mom' in it…"_

_"That mark…" Orochimaru hissed. "…Is not going anywhere. You will keep it as a reminder of who you work for."_

_"But I DON'T work for you anymore! Take it off of me!"_

_Orochimaru simply grinned. "Oh, you work for me, Anko. As long as you have that mark…you work for me."_

_"Orochimaru, you don't need me anymore! Please. You have that girl, my usefulness for you has ended!"_

_"That girl…" Kaliana repeated. "She must be talking about me."_

_"Don't you worry about her." Orochimaru warned. "Her mission will begin shortly; in 3 days to be exact. Until then, mind your manners and your tongue, Anko. You will ALWAYS work for me. Now, get out."_

_"Mission?" Kaliana cocked her head. "What mission?"_

_Her thoughts were cut short when one of Orochimaru's henchmen snagged her roughly by the arm and whipped her around to face him._

_"There you are." He growled. "What do you think you're doing?"_

_"Uh, hello? I was taking a walk. Duh."_

_The man chuckled lightly before shackling her wrists and shoving her down the hallway. "Well, now you're going to take a walk…right into a prison cell! Now MOVE!" He shoved her again._

_Kaliana stumbled a bit before getting her footing, then turned and growled. "Since when? Orochimaru always let's me take a walk around my giant hamster cage! Who the hell are YOU to say I can't?"_

_"ONE WHO IS SUSPICIOUS OF YOUR CONSTANT SKULLKING!" He grunted and pushed her again; harder this time._

_Kaliana stumbled forward again, laughing lightly beneath her mask at this man's poor strength. "Wow…how often do you work out?" She teased. "Really, I've been pushed harder by a bullying 5 year old."_

_"How's this for a push?" He finished with another agitated shove._

_Kaliana again stumbled a few feet. She growled, beginning to anger at this man's misplaced rage. "You're such an ass. I miss Kabuto." She stopped and cringed. "Ugh…there, now you see what you made me say?"_

_"I SAID KEEP WALKING!" He roared, giving her another aggressive heave._

_Kaliana flew into the wall and fell to her knees upon contact with the wall. She turned and glared at the man. Her anger had just about reached its boiling point. "Keep pushing me…Come on…keep it up…" She threatened._

_The man readied himself to strike Kaliana again, but Orochimaru's voice stopped him dead in his tracks._

_"That's enough." He hissed. "Come here…"_

_The man walked over to Orochimaru and bowed his head slightly. Orochimaru whispered in his ear. Kaliana could bearly make out his threats._

_"What's wrong with you? Are you crazy? Didn't I tell you to be gentle with her? You'd better watch yourself, understand? Don't you DARE make me lose her…"_

_Kaliana scrunched up her nose at the conversation. That's weird…since when does Count Chocula suddenly care who beats me?_

_"Yes, Lord Orochimaru." The man groaned and walked away, purposely stepping on Kaliana's leg as he passed. Kaliana gave a moan of pain, and watched as he disappeared into the darkness. She slowly brought her eyes up to Orochimaru._

_"Might I suggest background checks on your henchmen? Really, you need to be careful who you hire."_

_Orochimaru chuckled and shook his head. "I shall make a mental note of that. Walk with me, my dear." He finished, walking ahead._

_Kaliana got up and followed the tall, lank figure down the hallway. "Who was that girl?"_

_"Girl? Oh, yes…She was no one important." He answered simply._

_"What was that tattoo on her neck?"_

_"A brand; it marks that which belongs to me. One which allows me to take control of their body."_

_Kaliana sighed, counting herself lucky she didn't have one._

_As though reading her mind, Orochimaru responded to her thought. "Your body rejects my cursemark. Believe me, I've tried."_

_Kaliana shuddered. She hated it when he read her mind. "What kind of mission are you sending me on?"_

_Orochimaru stopped and turned slightly. "You're just full of questions today, aren't you?"_

_"Don't play Mr. Dumbshit with me! You were waiting for me to ask that question. So, what is it already?"_

_Orochimaru merely grinned and turned away. "Your mission…is to go home."_

_Kaliana's eyes widened at his sentence. "You're…sending me home? Wait a minute…what's the catch?"_

_Orochimaru turned to face her and knelt down on one knee. "No catch my dear…your training is complete. There is nothing else I can teach you." He took her hand and put something in it. "A gift…from me to you."_

_That said, he got up and sauntered away, leaving Kaliana to alone with the gift cupped in her hands. Slowly, she parted them, gazing in wonder at the strange offer Orochimaru had given to her…_

* * *

"Damn!" Kaliana groaned. "I wish I could remember what it was he gave me!"

Sasuke rubbed the cursemark gently. "A brand...to take control…that bastard."

"So…does your brother work for him or not?" Kaliana inquired, becoming impatient.

"No, he doesn't."

Kaliana sighed. "Well then. I guess that means I have 2 homicidal groups on my tail. Aren't I the popular one?" Kaliana stopped briefly as another thought occurred. "It's weird that he can control me, especially since my body rejected his cursemark."

Sasuke raised his eyes. "He…can control you? How?"

"Good question. I'll go ask him." That said, Kaliana was airborne and leaping from building to building once again.

Sasuke wasted no time in bounding after her, intent on finding out just what exactly was going on.

* * *

A dark, cloaked figure crept through Kaliana's window and quietly over to her bed. The sun reflected its rays off the glasses the intruder bore on his face. He eyed the strap dangling teasingly from between Kaliana's mattress. Slowly, he reached for it and pulled the colossal blade free from its hiding place. The blade slept peacefully, unaware that it was about to be stolen.

The Kabuto clone wrapped its fingers around the blade's handle. The clone was hollow; Kabuto did NOT fuel this clone with any of his chakra. With an empty puppet latched onto its handle, Hizoku was unknowingly hauled out the window and taken far away…far from Kaliana's range…far from Konoha…to be hidden in a hollow tree 75 miles away…

* * *

Meanwhile, in the middle of the village, two other dark-clocked assailants waited patiently in the shadows. Kisame eyed Itachi suspiciously.

"Itachi…" Kisame started. "The trade seems fair. Are we going to go through with it?"

"Why shouldn't we?" Itachi murmured, lost in his own thoughts. "Two demons for the price of one sounds very fair."

"I knew it…" Kisame grinned. "We're gonna take 'em BOTH. Pein will like that very much."

Kisame and Itachi stayed silent for a moment before the shark-man spoke out again. "Itachi…who is Kamachi?"

As if snapping out of a trance, Itachi blinked a few times before turning to his partner. "…Where did you hear that name?"

"From you. While you were sleeping. You seem to be saying it a lot lately. Who was he?" Kisame scooted closer and leaned over his partner's shoulder. "Itachi…do you have a love that dares not speak its name?"

Kisame's nose was rapidly met with Itachi's closed fist. He went down, gripping the bridge of his nose in an attempt to hold the blood in.

"I'm NOT gay, you dumb gefilte fish!" Itachi snapped.

"So then who is he?" Kisame growled. "He must be SOMEBODY! You don't just say some guys' name in your sleep over and over again unless…well, you know…"

Itachi whipped around furiously. "It's NOTHING like that! You…you wouldn't understand…"

"Try me." Kisame demanded.

Itachi glared at Kisame for a moment, then looked away. "Kamachi…Kamachi Inuzuka…He…was Kaliana's father." He finally coughed out.

Kisame sat forward eagerly, quickly forgetting about his broken nose. "How did you know him?"

Itachi sighed and sat down. "Years ago…when I was 6, I was training in the woods when I came upon a group of shinobi who were making an illegal trade of Forbidden Jutsus. They saw me and attacked. I fought them, and managed to kill 3 of them, but I overused one of my Jutsus…they almost had me. Then…he came along…" Itachi stopped and got up. "I'd rather not say anymore."

"Oh, come on!" Kisame begged. "Please continue…I'm mesmerized…"

Itachi groaned, rolled his eyes, then sat down and continued. "He killed two of the remaining men and tried to carry me to safety…but the last surviving man didn't let us go too far. Just as he was going to run a blade through me, Kamachi got in the way…he died. He died…protecting me. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since."

"Ah, I see." Kisame nodded, getting to his feet. "So THAT'S why you wanted this mission so bad! It all makes sense now."

"What makes sense now?" Itachi inquired.

"The reason you took this mission of course!" Kisame laughed. "I should've known you better. That Kamachi guy died saving you, and it's been pissing you off for years. How do you get revenge on a dead man? By killing his daughter!"

Itachi ascended an eyebrow. His eyes darted back and forth with confusion. Then, he smiled and nodded. "That's right. Revenge…"

Kisame playfully slapped Itachi's shoulder. "You sick bastard! Good for you! Clear your conscience by helping to do in that brat!" Kisame walked away, laughing.

Itachi stood up slowly, his eyes locked ahead on the Leaf Village, his memories racing…

* * *

"_**WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!?**__" The boy shouted, angry and hurt. "You…should've just…stayed out of it…" He growled, hot tears threatening to cascade from his eyes. "I could've taken them all out myself…"_

"_Yeah…sure you could, kid…" Kamachi groaned, obviously not believing him. "Maybe I should've…t-t-turned…" He sputtered and paused for a moment, the pain increasing. "If the Black Ninja were here…he would've been able to defeat them…and survive long enough to..." Again, he forced to stop due to the pain of having his organs failing._

"_But, he isn't here." The boy's voice cracked. "You idiot…"_

"_No…I guess not." Kamachi himself began to cry, not out of fear of dying, but out of sadness for what he was about to leave behind. "Oh, Kita…I'm so sorry. This is not how it was supposed to be…" His own voice was beginning to crack now. "We were supposed to grow old together…you and me…and Kaliana…I'm so sorry I won't be able to watch you grow up…or to protect you…I'm sorry…"_

_A drizzle of rain began to fall from the gray clouds above. Kamachi looked up at the darkness, his face wet from both tears & the mist that sprayed him. He laid his hands across his chest with the last bit of strength and formed a handseal. _

"_I'll try to…make it up…to you…Kaliana…I'll try to…protect you…"_

_His green eyes glazed over as death crept upon him…_

* * *

Itachi's eyes widened as he felt a warm sensation on his face. It started at his left eye, then stretched down his cheek. Slowly, he brought his hand up to his face and caught the offending drip on his index finger. Shakily, he brought his hand away from his face and looked at the teardrop that dangled from his fingertip. A sudden rage swept over him. The memory had caused him to temporarily lose control of his emotions, which infuriated him. With a single, swift and angry movement, Itachi whirled around and struck out with his arm, sending the teardrop violently flying off his finger. The careening drop of liquid traveled at such an amazing speed, it sliced a leaf in half before evaporating in the heat of its speed. Itachi returned his furious gaze to Konoha, his eyes narrow.

_Why? Why couldn't you have just…minded your own business?_

* * *

Kaliana leapt towards a building, but the leap wasn't strong enough. She grappled with the edge of the roof before sliding off and landing on her back. She lay in a pile of trash, her breathing heavily labored.

_What's…going on…here? Why am I…so weak? Hizoku? Where are you? I need chakra! Hizoku?_

She sat in silence, but no answer came, nor did any chakra. Shakily, she attempted to get to her feet.

"Here, give me your hand." Sasuke offered.

Startled, Kaliana leapt to her feet and quickly grabbed the side of the building before toppling over again.

"Sasuke!" She shouted breathlessly. "Who…the hell…invited you?!"

Sasuke looked at her with bewilderment. "Huh?"

"Why…are you following me?" Kaliana gasped out, wiping some sweat from her brow.

"In case something like THIS happens! Look at you. Your chakra is drained. Let me help you…" He offered his hand again.

Kaliana grabbed his wrist and pushed it away. "I don't need…your help."

"You can't even breathe. I'll get you home. If Orochimaru is there, I'll…"

"You'll what, Sasuke? Protect me? Be my knight in shining armor? You gonna be my hero, Sasuke?" Kaliana slowly pushed herself away from the wall. She weaved a bit before regaining her balance. "Listen, dude. I appreciate the offer, but please, save your chivalry for those who want it. I don't want it and I certainly don't need it. I'm not a damsel in distress. I can take care of myself."

Sasuke lowered his head and took a step back. Kaliana, feeling a strange pinch in her neck along with a good serving of guilt, pulled him closer by his shirt.

"You wanna help me? Fine. Go warn the Hokage. Tell him about Orochimaru's plan and try to keep him away from the Kazekage."

"What's wrong with the Kazekage…?"

"Will ya just go already!?" Kaliana shouted, pushing him away. "Go! Before it's too late! Hurry!"

Sasuke stared for a moment, then turned away.

"Oh, Sasuke wait!" Kaliana called before he jumped out of view.

"Yeah?" Sasuke asked hopefully.

"You're brother…is super hot. Seriously…I just wanna take him home and…and punish him for being so bad." Kaliana said with a dirty grin.

Sasuke just stood there, a look of blatant shock on his usually smug face. After a several awkward, silent moments, he casually nodded. "Okay then. Thanks for telling me."

While Kaliana hopped out of sight, Sasuke couldn't help but wallow in the fact that the only girl he'd ever really liked wanted to do to his hated brother what he fantasized about doing to her. He shuddered at the hideous thought and clenched his fists together tightly.

"Just one more reason for me to kill Itachi." He snarled before bounding off towards the Battle Arena.

* * *

The Kazekage leaned against one of the columns in the grandstands, a shadowy ANBU figure waiting on the other side.

"Did you get rid of the sword?" The Kazekage whispered.

"As you requested, my Lord." The man answered beneath the mask. "75 miles away."

"Excellent. I checked up on her a little while ago. She's on her way home now. Her chakra is all but drained. Go wait for her. You know what to do."

"I'm already there." Said the Kabuto shadow clone as it disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

The Kazekage-disguised Orochimaru grinned wickedly.

_Kaliana…our plan has come to a head. You have sent Sasuke right into my arms. Once I've taken him far away from the village, you will destroy Konoha along with everyone you love. Kabuto is waiting for you, and no one, not even your sword, can protect you now…_

* * *

Deep in the woods, Hizoku sat in a tree, leaning against the branches; it's strap removed and destroyed. The sword glowed a crimson red as Naruto's chakra flowed rapidly through its blade. The 3 blood-drop stains on the blade glowed weakly before being absorbed into the steel.

_Kaliana, we are apart, yet I am awake. It is Naruto's powerful chakra that has granted me this brief gift of life. Naruto…Naruto…talk to me…_

* * *

Naruto slid to a stop as a strange voice permeated in his head.

"Huh? Who said that?"

_Naruto…_ Called the voice again. _Naruto…Can you hear me?_

"Yeah! I can hear you! Who are you?"

_I am Hizoku…_

"Hizoku? Kaliana's sword? Whoa…why are you talking to me? Where are you?"

_Listen…Listen, Naruto…I stole some of your chakra and have had it stored within me, along with a few drops of your blood. I can no longer communicate with Kaliana. I don't have much time…listen…_

"I am listening! Where are you? Why can't you talk to Kaliana?"

_I have been abducted…Even if I wanted to talk with her, I couldn't. I have replaced her chakra with yours and can only speak to you now…I don't know where I am._

"Somebody stole you? Who was it?"

_I don't know…please listen Naruto…Hurry and get to Kaliana's house…I think it's a trap…they want to capture her…save her, Naruto. If she is captured…all is lost…go…now…_

"Wait! Hizoku wait!" But Naruto's calls went unanswered as the sword fell into slumber. "Oh, no! Kaliana! I gotta save her!" That said, Naruto wasted no time in taking off towards Kakashi's apartment.

* * *

Exasperated, Kaliana threw herself through her window and landed in the pile of glass. She weakly used her bed to pick herself up. Her chakra was completely drained. She peered under the mattress, but found no sword.

_Oh, no! Hizoku! Where are you? Crap…this is NOT GOOD!_

Slowly, she shuffled towards the living room towards a waiting silhouette.

"Uncle…Kakashi…I have to…tell you something…important…"

The figure came into view, a smug grin on his familiar face. "Kaliana…it's been a while. Tell me you've missed me." Kabuto grinned as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Kaliana growled at the sight of him. "Kabuto…"

"You do remember me. How sweet."

Kaliana, using furniture as a balance, managed to approach him. Gripping her fingers through his shirt, she pulled herself up to his face. Kabuto remained calm, knowing her chakra was gone. With the last bit of strength in her body, Kaliana hauled off and cracked Kabuto in the face with an open palm.

"OW!" Kabuto roared, shoving Kaliana down on the floor. "WHAT THE HELL!!??"

"I don't know why…but I felt that was long overdo and REALLY necessary." Kaliana hissed as she struggled to her feet once again.

Kabuto grabbed her arms and wrestled her against the wall. Pulling her mask down gently, he pressed his lips against hers. Kaliana groaned and growled beneath his weight, but was just too weak to free herself. He slowly pulled away. He smiled, despite Kaliana's gagging and spatting in every direction. "This too, was long overdo and REALLY necessary."

"**Take…your…hands...OFF…of…my…niece…**" A stern warning came from the open door, which had been kicked off the hinges by a very angry Jounin.

"Uncle Kakashi!" Kaliana exclaimed with joy.

"Kaliana!" Shikamaru called as he and Kiba ran to Kakashi's side.

"Get away from her!" Gai demanded as he stepped defensively through the doorway.

_Oh no! I'm too late!_ Naruto thought to himself as he dropped to his knees and slid under Kakashi towards Kabuto and Kaliana. "Kaliana, it's a trap! They took your sword!" He shouted, though he knew it was too late.

Kaliana responded with a groan and a weary roll of the eyes. "The hell, you say?"

Kabuto merely laughed. "How cute. The cavalry is here. You're all too late, though. We've already won."

Kakashi growled deeply in his throat. "Let her go, Kabuto, or I swear, I'll kill you." Kakashi opened his left palm, a ball of lightening chakra cracking aggitantly within it.

Kabuto furrowed his brows. "Don't you get it, Kakashi? Kaliana belongs to Orochimaru now, and she has for 3 years. You want her back? Take it up with him. I'm just the delivery boy."

"Kabuto…" Kakashi hissed in a threatening tone, the chakra lighting becoming more unstable by the minute.

"You don't believe me?" Kabuto asked as Kakashi jumped over Naruto and lunged. "See for yourself then!" Kabuto thrust Kaliana at Kakashi's feet, stopping him dead in his tracks.

The necklace around her neck glowed brighter then it had ever glowed before. The teeth curled inwards, digging into Kaliana's flesh. Green chakra sparks slowly began to form around the necklace. Suddenly, it electrocuted Kaliana with extreme force. Her painful screams echoed throughout the small apartment.

"KALIANA!" Kakashi roared as he raced up to her.

Just as he reached out to stroke her, the green electricity sparked violently, scorching Kakashi's hand. He withdrew, cradling his hand against his chest, his eyes locked on Kaliana with extreme concern. Kabuto smiled at the group of terrified and worried shinobi and held out his hand. Kaliana was roughly yanked off of her knees and flew backwards. Kabuto caught her by the back of her neck and held her out like a prize.

"Attempting to stop us will only cause her more pain. My advice to you guys…just sit here and wait to die with dignity." That said, both Kabuto and Kaliana disappeared in a flash of smoke.

Kakashi stood in the room motionless with tears in his frightened eyes.

_Oh, no…What have I done?_

**End of Chapter 30/End of ACT X**


	11. ACT XI The Hound Unleashed

NOTE: Because is being a disagreeable f*cksh*t, it won't allow me to underline ALL of Hizoku's dialogue. I appologize in advance for any confusion or inconvinience this may have caused you.

* * *

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction **_

_**ACT XI: The Hound Unleashed!**_

**_CH. 31 "All Hell Breaks Loose"_**

* * *

Neji and Shino sat rigidly in the waiting area of the Chunin Exam arena. They looked around the room, then glanced outside at the vacant seats. Curiously, they peered at each other.

"Are we…the only ones here?" Neji asked.

"Look like." Shino shrugged.

"Did they change the date or something?"

"They couldn't of. It's against the rules. Something weird must be going on."

Neji wasted no time in heading for the door. "Let's go find out what it is then."

Just as he went for the handle, the door flew open, causing Neji to leap back in an attempt to avoid being cracked in the nose. It was TenTen, her breathing labored and her hand wrapped tightly around the newspaper.

"What are you guys DOING HERE?!" She blasted out, gasping for air. "Didn't you see the paper?" She finished, shoving the headline in their faces.

The boys leaned over and read the article intently. Neji's eyes widened. "What the-?!"

"Hey…wait a minute…" Shino mumbled, peeking over his sunglasses. "That girl isn't Kaliana."

"You're right, that's not her at all." Neji agreed. "I've never seen that girl before."

"Isn't it weird?" TenTen gasped. "I wonder if that's why no one is here today…"

"That's not even the half of it." A voice came from behind.

TenTen, Shino and Neji turned to see Sasuke standing in the hall, panting lightly.

"Sasuke…what's going on here?" Neji inquired first.

"We don't have much time. We have to warn the Hokage." He answered quickly.

"Warn the Hokage about what?" TenTen pleaded. "What happened?"

"Follow me. I'll explain everything on the way." That said, Sasuke took off again, this time, with Shino, TenTen and Neji close behind.

* * *

Kankuro glanced worriedly at his sister from the corner of his eye. The two had been walking, heads down, for hours in complete silence. Finally, Kankuro broke the dead quiet with a simple question.

"Are we…really going to kill him, Temari?"

Temari stopped, keeping her head lowered. Kankuro couldn't believe his ears as he heard a whimper coming from his tough-as-nails sister. Temari was crying.

"Kankuro…" She choked out. "…I…I can't go through with this."

"What do you mean? Are you afraid he'll kill you?"

"It's not that…it's…for Lord's sake, Kankuro, he's our BROTHER!" Temari finally burst out, dropping to her knees in tears.

Kankuro stood there, staring at her weeping form. Never in his life had he seen his sister act this way. Slowly, he moved towards her. He crouched down and gently put his arm around her.

"Hey, I don't want to do this either. But, we were given an order…we have to do it…"

"I can't do it, Kankuro. I'm sorry. And…I don't expect you to do it alone."

"Are you suggesting we…disobey our orders?" Kankuro asked quietly, for the mere thought of it would give their Sensei a good reason to have them both put to death.

Temari sighed and raised her head, tears still flowing down her face. "Yes, I am." Kankuro stared at her in shock as she got to her feet and wiped her eyes. "I'm leaving Konoha. Are you coming with me?"

Kankuro, too, got up and faced his sister. "No. I'm not leaving."

"What?" Temari gasped, stunned by the news. "You're staying here? Why?"

"I'm going to find Gaara…and help him save Kaliana and the village."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Temari shouted. "Baki Sensei will KILL you if he finds out! Let Gaara try to save her! You have nothing to do with it!"

"Temari, please." Kankuro interrupted. "For a very long time, I've been feeling guilty about the things we've been forced to do. There's no reason for them to destroy the Leaf Village. They've done nothing to deserve it. And Kaliana…well, you've seen her, Temari. You've battled her. Is she really that much of a threat? Do you really think she deserves to have this done to her? Did you know she doesn't even hold a grudge against you?"

Temari sighed and turned away. "I know she doesn't deserve this. And I know she's not a hateful person. But…there's no stopping them once they turn her into that Hound demon. She won't be Kaliana anymore. She'll be a killing machine. And I…I don't want to be here when they activate her. Goodbye, Kankuro."

That said, Temari launched herself into a nearby tree and disappeared. Kankuro watched her leave and a sudden urge to follow entered his mind, but he ignored it. He knew Temari was afraid, and he was too. But despite his fear, he continued on with his search for Gaara.

_Maybe…just maybe…we might win this one…_

* * *

Orochimaru dug the knife deeper into the Hokage's body, twisting it with sickening force. Old Sarutobi didn't even see the attack coming. There was no bad-guy monologue, no sweet words, no threats, no form whatsoever of villainy. Just a sharp, sudden, lighting-fast attack; a single thrust to the heart, followed by numerous stabs through the other vital organs. The floor of the private room was carpeted with the Hokage's blood, and the room reeked of death. Orochimaru grinned and pulled the knife free of Sarutobi's lifeless body. He gingerly rubbed the tip of his tongue along the knife's edge.

"I wish we could've had more fun, Sarutobi. But, I'm in a bit of a hurry. We needed you dead **before** we could attack your precious Leaf Village."

His eyes wandered to the door as the knob clicked open. He smiled at the sight of Sasuke, who stood stupified at the sight of the dead leader.

"No…" He whispered. "You killed him…" He ran forward into the room and stopped just before reaching the Hokage's corpse. "You bastard! HOW DARE YOU!"

"So emotional, Sasuke…" Orochimaru sighed, holding out his open arms. "Come. Let me comfort you."

"You twisted scum pile…you'll pay for this!" He threatened, forming a handseal.

"Silly boy, you know you can't use your chakra…" Orochimaru smiled, peering at Sasuke's neck. "…You belong to me, remember?" He stopped to take a second look, and was shocked to see that Sasuke did not bear his cursemark. "What's this?"

Insects began crawling from Sasuke's sleeves and collar. Within moments, they were covering his whole body. Orochimaru growled in his throat. "Deceiver! You're not my Sasuke!"

With a blast of smoke, Shino appeared in Sasuke's face. "Took you long enough to see through my Transformation Jutsu. Some Sanin _you_ are."

Orochimaru quickly dodged as 8 shuriken came whizzing behind him. 3 grazed his arm. He turned to see TenTen, armed with more shuriken. "You're NOT going to get away with murdering our Hokage!" She roared as she let 18 more fly towards the confused Sanin.

Orochimaru dodged again, only to stumble right into Neji.

"BYAKUGAN!" Neji shouted as he leapt from the shadows and speedily began blocking Orochimaru's chakra points.

The surprised Sanin fell against a wall, gripping his shuriken-grazed arm. Neji had blocked the major chakra points in his back, leaving Orochimaru all but paralyzed. Sasuke suddenly dropped in from the ceiling.

"We've got you now. You're plan is over."

Orochimaru laughed heartily. "You clever little rats. Especially you, Sasuke. I'm quite impressed with your well thought-out trap. Excellent job."

The Genin exchanged suspicious glances with one another. Why was he so pleased to be defeated? Orochimaru sunk to his knees, blood escaping from his nose and mouth.

"Too bad you…wasted your…time…" Orochimaru gasped out before losing consciousness and falling on his face.

The group of Genin stood shocked as Orochimaru's body disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind the Hokage's deceased carcass.

"DAMN!" Sasuke shouted. "It was only a Body Possession Jutsu!"

"What does that even mean?" TenTen questioned.

"It means he was able to use a shadow clone to posses a dead body…in this case, the Hokage." Shino informed.

"That means, he's…" Neji started.

"Right here…" Orochimaru's voice cackled as the original dead body arose and disappeared, leaving behind the real Sanin. "Take notes on a _proper_ sneak attack, children…" He hissed just before he lunged.

* * *

Naruto blindly ran through the woods, tripping and falling on his face during his mad dash. He rolled over onto his back and lay there, panting heavily and looking up at the sky.

"Man…I've been running…for hours now…I don't even know…where I'm going…"

Suddenly, a tiny electrical charge surged through his brain. Naruto sat up quickly, his eyes wide.

_Naruto…it's me again…_

"Hizoku! Oh man, I thought I lost you! Why'd you cut me off before?"

_Forgive me…I was reproducing more of your chakra. It's so powerful, I've never had chakra like this in me before. I believe I've created enough for you to locate me, now._

"How am I supposed to do that?"

_You are very close. I can sense you. Naruto, you must try to sense your own chakra. I am releasing a large amount right now. Follow it._

"I…I don't sense anything…"

_Try, Naruto, try. You must hurry. We are very far away from Konoha. It will take some time to return after you've found me. We must be quick._

"I'm trying!" Naruto snapped.

He closed his eyes tightly and focused. _Come on, you dumb fox…can't you sense your own chakra? Where is it? Where is it!?_

Naruto's eyes suddenly shot open. "Hey…I feel it!" He wandered ahead through some trees then stopped and closed his eyes to focus again. "Over there!" He shouted gleefully as he ran forward several yards. He stopped, wearing a massive smile, when the glowing sword came into view. "ALRIGHT! I DID IT!" He cheered.

His celebration was short-lived when Kabuto dropped down from the trees, obviously stationed to guard the sword. Naruto sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, man! I thought this was gonna be easy!" He wiped the sweat from his brow and smirked. "Ah, well! I can never turn down a battle! You and me, Kabuto! Right now! I'm gonna…"

Naruto's speech was cut short as Hizoku released a bolt of chakra into the offending ninja, causing it to burst into a cloud of smoke. Naruto stood there, jaw to the ground.

"Oh…nevermind"

"_I'm sure you could have beaten that weak shadow clone yourself." _The sword spoke to Naruto out loud. _"But, we're in a great hurry. Quickly, grab me by my strap and let us hurry back to Konoha."_

"Right!" Naruto approached the sword, but found no strap. "Um…I think they took it off or something."

"_Damn. Well, I guess you'll have to take me by the handle instead."_

"I can do that?"

_"I already told you…I have produced so much of your chakra, Naruto, that I have cancelled out Kaliana's chakra for the time being. You may grasp my handle without fear of me draining your chakra. Unfortunately, when Kaliana grabs my handle, I must drain her of her chakra in order to work for her again."_

"There is no part of the statement I didn't like or understand! Let's go!"

Hizoku couldn't help but sigh. _"…Oy."_

Bravely, Naruto grabbed Hizoku's handle and pulled the sword free. "Let's go save Kono…OW!!!"

Gravity took hold of Hizoku's massive form and the giant sword crashed to the ground, Naruto struggling to hang on to the handle. Stressing his muscles, he tried lifting the sword onto his back.

"Jeez, you're heavy!" He gasped out. "How does Kaliana carry you around like you weigh nothing?"

_"She focuses her chakra into her arms. It gives her the strength needed to carry all 600 pounds of me."_

"Yeah...she's **SO** talented!" Naruto grunted lazily, not being too terribly good at focusing his chakra.

With one good heave after another, he crept forward slowly, hauling Hizoku back towards the village.

* * *

Orochimaru stood victorious over his rivals, all of whom he had quickly disposed of. Neji and TenTen lay bleeding in a corner, unable to move. Shino lay motionless in a pile of his own dead beetles, while Sasuke sat panting on the other side of the room, his cursemark burning. Orochimaru smiled at the grim scene.

"A bunch of Genin who actually thought they could take out a Sanin…what a joke. You're all fools…and now, Sasuke is mine…" He approached his prey slowly, licking his lips.

"Stay away from me, you sick bastard!" Sasuke attempted to struggle to his feet, but to no avail. His chakra was all but gone. He was trapped.

Suddenly, voices and footsteps could be heard out in the hallway.

"What's going on in there!?" Asuma's voice permeated the room.

Sasuke sighed with relief as Orochimaru reluctantly withdrew. "Damn. The cavalry finally decided to show up. But I assure you, this changes nothing, Sasuke. Konoha will still be wiped off the face of the map…just try not to get killed during the destruction, okay? That would really put a damper on my plans."

"Go to hell." Sasuke hissed.

"Oh, I intend to…and you're coming with me." The snake-like Sanin grinned before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Asuma, Kurenai and several ANBU blackops units came bursting through the door, flooding the room in a matter of seconds with black suits and green vests. Asuma stopped over the dead body of his father. He dropped to his knees in tears. Kurenai, meanwhile, checked on all the injured Genin in the room. The ANBU team searched the small room, but found no murderer or murder weapons. Kurenai approached her sobbing partner and gently put her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Asuma. He's gone now, and these Genin really need medical attention. Please…"

Asuma wiped his face and slowly arose, a stern look on his face. He turned to the only conscious Genin in the room, while the injured ones were taken to the hospital.

"Sasuke…tell me, who did this? What happened here?"

Sasuke smiled and sat up as well as he could. "I'll tell you everything I know."

* * *

Kaliana struggled to open her droopy green eyes. As her eyes focused on her surroundings, she could see Kabuto several feet away, leaning against a tree sipping hot coffee. His eyes were, surprisingly, not on her. Slowly, she attempted to move. Her body was paralyzed as though she was tied up, but there were no ropes constricting her. It was Orochimaru's hold that binded her and now, with her chakra gone, he had complete control. She chirped towards her pocket.

"Hey…Psst…" She whispered, keeping her eyes on Kabuto and making sure she didn't capture his attention.

A tiny gray head poked out from her pocket. "Kuri?"

"Kuriochi!" Kaliana whispered as she smiled at her rodent friend. "Listen, I need you to go find help, okay? Go find Naruto…"

Kuriochi eagerly hopped out of her pocket, only to quickly dodge a shuriken as it came soaring at him from where Kabuto stood. Kaliana glared at the white-haired shinobi as he tossed a menagerie of weaponry at the little insectivore. "Little rat bastard!" Kabuto shouted, throwing more shuriken.

"Run, Kuriochi! Run!" Kaliana encouraged. Kabuto lunged at Kuriochi suddenly, but Kaliana threw herself in the way, tripping him.

Kabuto got up and glared at Kali, kicking her in the side. Kaliana moaned, though the kick didn't really hurt. She watched as Kuriochi darted up a tree, dodging three kunai knives before disappearing into the thick branches. He poked his head out just for a moment, and flipped Kabuto the middle finger before scurrying away.

"**HA!**" Kaliana laughed. "You just got told by a creature who eats cockroaches! Man, you must feel low!"

Kabuto leered at Kaliana from the corner of his eye, but said nothing. As he turned towards her, he felt a hard slap on the back of his head. He whirled around to see Orochimaru, arms crossed.

"You let the rat get away, didn't you? No matter." He interrupted before Kabuto could defend himself.

Orochimaru walked passed his henchmen and approached Kaliana. He bent over and smiled in her face. "Miss me?" He asked as he allowed his slimy tongue to caress her face.

Kaliana shuddered, but kept her angry glare focused on the Sanin. "You're dead. You just don't know it yet."

Orochimaru stared into her eyes for a while, expecting her to follow up with some smart-ass joke...but none came. Only Kaliana's icy malicious stare faced him. With a grunt, he stood over her. He peered over at Kabuto.

"Give me the scroll. Let's do this."

Kabuto placed the forbidden scroll in Orochimaru's hands. "There's ANBU blackops all over the woods, sir. Everyone in Konoha knows. So much for our element of surprise."

"Kabuto, really…she's a 40 ft. Demon Hound. Does it really matter whether they know or not?" Orochimaru approached her, the scroll tightly in his hands. "It's time."

Kaliana's leer stayed vigilant, but her body shook violently with fear. _All those poor people…I'm so sorry…Somebody, please stop this before it's too late…_

* * *

Kakashi laid out a huge map before himself and the gathering of troops that surrounded him.

"Alright…I need one team here, to the west." He ordered as he pointed to the Western woods of Konoha on the map. "One team needs to search to the North…here. And the rest of you, search to the South. I'll take a team to the East. We'll tear the whole forest down from here to the Cloud Village, if we have to. Now, go."

His orders final, the teams split up and scattered. Kakashi tiredly rubbed his eyes as another ANBU unit approached him.

"Sir…what're your orders for the rest of the Village?" The troop inquired respectfully.

"My orders?" Kakashi asked. "What do you mean?"

The troop cleared his throat, and explained the tragic event with sadness in his voice.

"Sir…the Hokage was killed today. He was murdered in the stadium."

"What?!"

"…And, since you know more about this situation then anyone, well…I need your orders for the residents of Konoha…sir."

Kakashi took a deep breath and sighed. "Umm…okay, get me every able-bodied ninja you can find. Genins, Chunins, Jounins, Academy students…anyone able to fight. The rest of Konoha…" Kakashi closed his eyes. "Evacuate."

"Yes sir." The soldier bowed respectfully before dashing off to fulfil his duty.

Kakashi turned to face the forest, Shikamaru and Kiba standing slightly in the distance behind the worried Jounin. He covered his face with his hand disappointedly.

_Things are going so wrong…how will this end?_

* * *

Gaara watched Konoha from his high vantagepoint in a cedar tree. He closed his eyes and leaned against a branch, waiting.

His eyes popped open and he quickly sat up upon feeling another presence.

"Hey." Said a voice calmly from behind. "Whatcha doin'?"

Gaara turned his head slightly as his brothers' cloak blowing in the wind caught his eye.

"Kankuro…what're you doing here?"

Kankuro took a few steps towards his brother, then stopped and knelt down on one knee.

"Baki Sensei ordered me and Temari to kill you."

"What?" Gaara growled, turning his head towards his brother, his eyes narrow. "And why the hell would that slobbering oaf believe you two could take me out?" The sand around him began to dance.

"Whoa, hey! We're not gonna do it! Honest! He just…believes that because you're in love with Kaliana, your Shukaku demon is dying."

"I am NOT in love." Gaara snapped. "And my demon isn't dying. I've just learned to control it more. Baki was sending you on a suicide mission, and he knows it. He probably just sent you two down here so HE could bail before the village is destroyed."

Kankuro stood silent for a moment, processing Gaara's words. His eyebrows furrowed.

"THAT BASTARD!" Kankuro exploded. "He was really trying to kill us! If Temari ever finds out…"

"Temari?" Gaara interrupted. "She's not here with you? Where is she?"

"She left. She couldn't bring herself to do you in, so she just…left. I don't know where she is."

Gaara couldn't help but feel relieved. His family did love him, after all. He smiled and returned his watchful gaze to the village.

"Why are you here, then?" He asked quietly.

Kankuro sighed and took a seat near his little brother. "I don't know. Part of me wanted to go with Temari. But…the other part of me…wanted to stay and help you."

"Help me? To do what?" He asked teasingly.

"What do ya mean, 'help you to do what?' Save Kaliana and the Village of course! Isn't that what you were planning to do?"

Gaara chuckled lightly to himself. "No, that wasn't my plan. But, I like it. That's what we'll do."

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Kankuro emoted, nearly falling out of the tree. "What WAS your original plan, then? Just sit here and watch Konoha be destroyed?"

Gaara snickered gently, smiling with sincerity at his brother. "I'm just kidding Kankuro. Of course I plan on saving Kaliana."

Kankuro stared suspiciously at Gaara, for he had never before seen his brother act so…normal.

They shared a rare smile with one another. The tender brotherly moment didn't last long, for the ground rumbled violently from the distance. Both sand ninjas brought their attention to the North, where the trees shook and trembled as something obviously massive traveled through them. Birds scattered as the mass obscured by the shadowy forest crept closer to Konoha.

Gaara and Kankuro looked nervously at each other.

"Gaara…you sure you wanna be a hero?" Kankuro asked nervously. "It's kinda out of character for us…"

Gaara stared into his brothers' face for a few moments, then smirked and nodded. "Let's take a walk on the wild side. Let's go be heroes."

That said, Gaara hopped out of the tree. Kankuro swallowed herd before looking back up at the shaking forest. His eyes went wide as he caught a passing glimpse at the demon that stalked Konoha.

"Holy Hellhound…"

* * *

An ANBU Blackops shinobi cautiously crept through the trees, his eyes scanning his surroundings intently. The forest was unusually quiet and still. The man stopped and nestled himself in the safety of the branches. He held a button down on the communication device on his wrist and spoke quietly into it.

"I'm not seeing anything out here, guys. But everything's real quiet. It's kinda creeping me out. You guys see anything? Over."

He sat back and waited for a response. Oh, the misfortune of being a rookie. Bearly out of his ANBU training and already he'd been thrust into the terrifying task of searching for a giant demon hound. He wiped the sweat beads off his forehead and leaned back, gazing tiredly into the canopy. He glanced at his communicator.

"What's taking them so long to answer?"

He pressed the button and tried again. "Guys? Are you there?"

He waited and listened to the silence as he was once again ignored by his teammates.

"The hell is going on here?" He muttered nervously to himself.

The earth quaked suddenly, nearly knocking him from his perch. He caught himself quickly on a lower branch, but the sudden jolt to the tree caused some of the higher branches to snap and fall. One branch smashed against his arm, shattering the communication device. He grunted as he heaved himself back up to his branch. Once safely seated, he looked down at the ground. There, no more then 20 feet from the tree, was a giant paw print. The ninja wasted no time in frantically clawing up the tree, desperate to climb as a high as possible. Once he felt safe, he pressed himself between two thick branches, panting exhaustedly and sweating quite profusely. He glanced wearily at the broken communicator on his wrist.

"Shit!" He whimpered, slamming the back of his head against the tree. "What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do?!" He stopped and took a deep breath. "Okay…calm down…just think for a minute…Shadow clones. That's what I'll do. That should confuse that stupid houn…"

His sentence was abruptly shortened as a massive set of jaws crashed it's way through the branches and snapped shut around him, imprisoning him in a cell of burning saliva and shimmering blade-like fangs.

* * *

Naruto plopped himself in a heap of leaves, dropping Hizoku to the ground with a loud clang.

Out of breath, he managed to pant out, "How…far…are…we?"

"_What do you mean, how far are we? Don't you know where you're going?"_

Naruto leapt to his feet at the preposterous question. "HUH!? Of course not! I thought _you_ knew!"

"_And how would __**I**__ possibly know?"_ Hizoku argued. _"I'm a sword. I have no eyes, no sense of direction…"_

"OH GREAT! **NOW** IT TELLS ME!" Naruto exploded. "WE COULD BE GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES FOR ALL WE KNOW!"

Suddenly, a small, gray creature fell from a tree and landed right on Naruto's face. Not expecting such a random attack, Naruto squealed and tossed the offending lint-wad into a bush. The creature stumbled out of the bush, holding it's head and moaning, for it wasn't expecting such a random attack either.

"Kuri..." It groaned as it finally fell to the ground.

Naruto recognized the wee rodent immediately.

"Kuriochi! What're you doing here? Where's Kaliana?" Naruto ran over to the tiny beast and gently cupped it in his hands. "I didn't hurt you did I? I'm sorry! I thought you were a little insane demon squirrel!" Naruto whimpered, feeling awfully guilty for handling little Kuriochi so roughly.

Kuriochi opened his eyes; weakly at first. But he quickly regained his composure and turned excitedly to Naruto.

"Ri, ri! Kuri, kuri, kuri-o! Kuriochi, kuri-kuri, ku ri-ri ku!" He chattered wildly, waving his little hands up and down eagerly in Naruto's palms.

"Hey, you're alright! Do you know where Kaliana is?"

"Ku!" Kuriochi nodded, happily clapping his teeny hands.

He leapt to the ground and took of into a bush, twittering and chittering the entire way.

"Excellent!" Naruto exclaimed as he rushed to get Hizoku. "C'mon, Hizoku! Kuriochi knows where Kaliana is!"

_"I hope we're not too late…I can't sense Kaliana's chakra anywhere, and this worries me greatly…"_

"Don't worry." Naruto smiled as he swung the heavy sword on his back. "We'll find her."

That said, he trotted after Kuriochi, the massive weight of Hizoku riding on his back.

------

A Kabuto clone dressed in ANBU Blackops attire intently watched the scene below from his nest in the branches.

_The Fox is on his way…perfect._

The clone grinned as it turned and bounded away.

**End of Chapter 31**

**

* * *

**

**_CH. 32 "DEMON FACEOFF: Fox VS Hound"_**

_**----------------------------------------------------------**_

It had been a couple hours since the discovery of the Hokage's death, and in that time most of Konoha had been evacuated, hospital victims and families alike, to neighboring towns and villages. Genin, Chunin and Jounin alike were the only ones that occupied the town, ready to fight for it. Konohamaru looked back on the empty village just before Iruka lifted him into a waiting train. The young grandson of the Late Hokage Sarutobi hated to be left out when it came to important things, like why he and all his friends had to leave their homes and Sensei's. Only Gai accompanied the people of the village, for they required safety in case the beast came after them.

"Don't worry." Iruka whispered just before the train announced its departure with its trademark whistle. "Everything's going to be okay."

Teary-eyed little Konohamaru watched his Sensei shrink in the distance as the train charged forward, leaving Konoha behind.

* * *

"You two are going to have to move along." An ANBU unit ordered to the two men in black cloaks.

Itachi squinted his eyes menacingly. "Quit screwing around." He hissed. "Do you have the Fox or not?"

The man grinned and removed his mask. "The Fox is on his way right now."

"Where's the REAL Kabuto?" Kisame inquired, noticing immediately that this man was a clone.

The clone chuckled and replaced its mask. "With the Hound and Lord Orochimaru of course. When they arrive, he'll signal you when it's time to strike." That said, the clone disappeared.

Kisame grunted uncomfortably. "I still don't trust him. He's got something up his sleeve."

"He is not the threat to us." Itachi stated simply.

Kisame shrugged. "Whatever you say, Itachi."

* * *

The remaining Genin in the village stood, uncertain with a group of 6 ANBU units. Only Sakura, Ino, Choji, Kiba and Shikamaru remained, though 3 of the Genin had no clue WHY they were even there.

Choji munched cluelessly on his bag of BBQ chips, looking around curiously. Ino and Sakura stood with him, but Kiba and Shikamaru stood off to the side by themselves. They looked exceedingly worried. Everyone else was either incapacitated or nowhere to be found.

"Man, we're the only ones who aren't in the hospital? What's the deal with this Kaliana chick? Who is she anyway?" He complained.

"She's Kakashi Sensei's niece." Ino informed. "I only met her once, but she's really strange. I don't know much about her, though."

"I heard the ANBU units say something about a demon." Sakura chimed in. "I wonder what it has to do with Kaliana?"

"Maybe she's got a demon in her." Ino whispered. "You know, like that Gaara kid."

"It would explain a lot." Sakura recalled watching Kaliana battle. "When she battled Sasuke, Kakashi Sensei said she had some kind of weird chakra…"

"Oh, man." Choji grunted. "I can't believe I didn't know about any of this!"

"Well, maybe if you'd dig your fat face from out of the cookie jar, you'd notice the world around you is about to be devastated." Shikamaru hissed. Kiba stood by his side, just as agitated.

Ino and Sakura were shocked by the sudden outburst. Shikamaru looked them over, grinding his teeth.

"You…you ignorant fools…you have no clue what's going on here, do you?"

"Konoha is about to be destroyed by an innocent girl who is being controlled by a sadistic demon who is in turn being controlled by the man who killed the Hokage." Kiba stated the situation in a nutshell, causing both the girls and Choji to nearly lose themselves in terror.

"WHAT?!" Sakura roared.

"**THAT'S **WHY WE'RE HERE?!" Ino choked.

Choji dropped his chips, his knees shaking. "I'M NOT QUALIFIED TO BATTLE A DEMON!" He squealed.

The 5 Genin turned quickly to see Kakashi and his team of 3 ANBU units return from their scout in the Eastern woods. Shikamaru noticed the number of soldiers had been reduced drastically.

"What happened?" he asked worriedly.

"We lost communication with them when we split up." Kakashi sighed. "I was hoping they might have returned here?"

Shikamaru and Kiba shook their heads. "No…we only have the 6 you left us with."

"Kakashi…" One of the 6 soldiers called. "We've lost communication with all teams."

"What? When?" Kakashi pressed.

"For the past 30 minutes, sir." The soldier reported. "We assume that they're just a few miles out of range."

Kakashi angrily grabbed the soldier by the vest and yanked him close.

"You IDIOT! There's a demon out there! You should be assuming that those soldiers are in a few million PIECES!" He shoved the soldier backwards.

The Genin watched nervously, not used to seeing the calm, cool Kakashi act so scared and unsure. Suddenly, a spine-tingling howl rose up from the woods, causing everyone to shudder in fright.

Kakashi's heart leapt into his throat as he slowly turned to face the forest.

"Oh, no…"

* * *

"Oh no!" Naruto gasped, staring down at an enormous set of paw prints leading towards Konoha. "We…We're too late."

Kuriochi whimpered as he sniffed the area where Kaliana had been lying tied up. There were signs of a struggle, and the forest around them was devastated with broken branches, erosion of the earth, uprooted trees and tattered chunks of fur hanging from the crushed bushes.

"_It is over."_ Hizoku stated with sorrow. _"We couldn't make it. All hope is lost."_

"**WHAT!?**" Naruto roared with fury. "**DON'T SAY THAT! DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT, YOU STUPID SWORD! HOPE IS NEVER LOST! NOT WHILE NARUTO UZUMAKI IS STILL ALIVE TO FIGHT FOR IT!**"

Kuriochi looked up hopefully, wagging his poofy-ended tail.

_"Naruto…I…"_

Naruto snatched Hizoku's handle and lifted it high of the ground, pointing the blade to the sky.

"You're gonna do what **I** say from now on, ya got that?! And **I** say there's one more chance! We can defeat the Fire Hound **AND** save Kaliana!"

_"Your spirit is admirable, Naruto. But how can we defeat the Fire Hound?"_

"Last night…You and Kaliana managed to take control of the Fire Hound and manipulate it…"

_"Yes, but that was when I had her chakra in me. I can't very well manipulate the Hound by using your chakr…aaahhh…"_ Hizoku finally caught on.

Naruto grinned slyly. "Let's go save _my_ village."

* * *

Iruka, Asuma, Kurenai and Sasuke joined the scene at the edge of Konoha with Kakashi, the 9 remaining ANBU soldiers and the 5 remaining Genin.

"We heard that howl!" Asuma called, stopping by Kakashi's side. "Did you see it yet?"

"No." Kakashi answered quietly. "But it's on its way."

"How are we going to defeat it?" Kurenai inquired nervously.

"We're going to have to see it first to know what we're dealing with." Iruka stated.

"You don't need to see a demon to know what you're dealing with." Kakashi said in a serious tone. "I don't know how we're going to defeat it. But we have to try."

Sasuke joined the group of Genin, bracing himself for the inevitable fangirl attack.

"Sasuke!" Ino and Sakura shouted simultaneously, running to either side of him.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked with sincerity.

"What happened to you?" Ino inquired gently.

"I was there…" Sasuke whispered. "I saw the Hokage…and his murderer."

The girls gasped.

"Me, Shino, Neji and TenTen tried to fight him off…but he was too powerful. He defeated us."

"Is that the same guy who's controlling the Hound inside Kaliana?" Ino asked curiously.

"Yes." Sasuke sighed.

"Hey Sasuke…" Sakura whispered. "Where's Naruto?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. "You mean you haven't seen him? He hasn't been here at all?"

The ground suddenly shook violently as the Hound made its way towards the group of shinobi, finally making itself seen. Every ninja in the group stared up in wonder and terror at the 40-foot-tall black and white anthropomorphic Demon Hound. Its eyes glowed a bright lime green and lacked pupils, making its face even more horrifying. The sun glistened off its huge blood-tipped fangs as saliva dripped from its gaping mouth. As the beast crept nearer to them, the ninja couldn't help but notice that the hound was transparent…they could see through it!

The Hound stopped just 100 feet away from the group and growled. The Genin cowered before the mightiness of the Fire Hound, while the Jounin looked up at the beast with envy and astonishment. The ANBU, however, became frightened.

"Take immediate action!" One of the men yelled. "Release fire!"

The ANBU men prepared to attack, when Kakashi leapt in front of them.

"HOLD FIRE!" He screamed. "DON'T ATTACK! MY NIECE IS IN THERE!"

Everyone searched the beast up and down with their eyes. Sure enough, where the creature's heart would be, there was Kaliana, levitating in place with her own eyes glowing the same color as the Hound's.

"Kaliana!" Shikamaru shouted.

She didn't respond. She didn't even move.

"What's wrong with her?!" Kiba wondered worriedly.

"That's what's wrong with her!" Sasuke shouted, pointing towards the Hound's head. "The head! Look in the head!"

The group looked up into the Hound's head. In it, floated Orochimaru, grinning.

"Orochimaru…" Kakashi hissed.

Orochimaru laughed wickedly. _**"Surprise…"**_

He lifted his arm; Kaliana lifted her arm; the Fire Hound lifted its massive paw.

"He controls it!" Choji shouted.

"No…he just controls Kaliana…" Shikamaru noticed.

"_**Don't bother wasting your time. I can't be defeated!"**_ With that, Orochimaru swatted downward with his erect arm; Kaliana shadowed his movement. The Fire Hound struck, releasing a whirlwind of chakra fire from its claws.

"EVERYBODY MOVE!" Kakashi ordered.

The group quickly scattered. 5 of the 9 ANBU units couldn't get out of the way in time, and were vaporized instantly. Iruka was badly singed. Kakashi was within inches of getting charred before he dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the white-hot intensity of the flames.

Pleased, Orochimaru leaned his head back and opened his mouth; Kaliana mimicked the gesture. The Hound opened its massive jaws, a ball of chakra lightning forming between its fangs.

"It's gonna hit us again!" Shikamaru shouted.

"The only way to defeat this thing is with another demon!" Sakura whined, covering her head in preparation for the next blow.

"But we don't have another demon!" Sasuke said with frustration as he was suddenly shrouded within a shadow.

He looked up curiously, eyes wide as he noticed the underside of the 9-Tailed Fox as it glided over him. Everyone stared in amazement as this Demon from nowhere tackled the Hound to the ground with an earth-splitting crash.

The Fox gracefully hopped over the Hounds fallen body and turned to the shinobi.

Kakashi squinted as he leaned forward, his eyes locked on the levitating blonde kid inside the Fox's body.

"I…don't…believe…it…"

"_**BELIEVE IT, KAKASHI SENSEI!"**_ The Naruto-Fox roared. _**"My face is gonna be carved in that mountain someday, and I'm gonna make sure it's still there when I become Hokage!"**_

He turned his attention to the Hound, who had gotten to its feet.

"_**Little…fool…"**_ Orochimaru hissed. _**"How did you…? It…it's not possible…"**_

Naruto growled. _**"You've got some nerve, you twisted freak! How dare you use Kaliana like this? You have no right!"**_

"**Save your pitiful rants for someone who cares. Now, move out of my way! I've got a world to take over."**

The Hound lunged at the Fox, who dodged to the side, evading the Hound's mighty jaws. The Fox turned sharply, swatting the Hound with its Nine powerful tails, and once again knocking it on its back. The Hound roared with fury as it leapt up, glaring at the offending appendages.

The Naruto-Fox grinned. _**"Oh yeah…you best be fearin' the tails!"**_

The Hound attacked again, this time, on all fours. The Fox attempted to dodge it again, but the Hound was expecting the move, and it latched onto one of the Fox's tails with its fangs. The Fox yowled with pain, turned and latched its own jaws around the back of the Hound's neck. The Hound retaliated by snatching one of the Fox's legs in it's claws and pulling on it, trying to snap it.

"Kakashi Sensei, if that's really Naruto out there, we have to help him!" Sakura pleaded. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I…I don't know…neither of them turned into a demon in actuallity, they're just using the demon-forms to act as armor...in this case, it's Naruto vs. Orochimaru...Naruto is strong, but he doesn't stand a chance against a Sanin."

"Well, we have to think of something!" Kurenai pressed. "I don't know how much longer Naruto can hold that thing back!"

"I have an idea." Shikamaru muttered.

All eyes turned hopefully to him.

"What is it Shika?" Ino asked hopefully.

"It's gonna take all of us…we need to distract the Hound somehow, right? Long enough for Kakashi Sensei to free Kaliana."

"I think I know what you're getting at." Kakashi said. "It might work."

"Only one way to find out." Shikamaru shrugged.

The Hound shook its head violently, shredding the tail it had clamped between its jaws. The Naruto-Fox released its hold on the Hound to wail painfully, The Hound, free from the Fox's grip, whipped the Fox around roughly before body slamming it into Hokage Mountain. The faces of the men who loved and protected their beloved Village crumbled into dust over the now unconscious Fox.

The Hound roared victoriously, but its victory was short lived, as it found itself unable to move.

Shikamaru stood behind it, using every ounce of strength to hold the beast. Sweat began beading along his brow as the Hound turned its head slightly, growling menacingly.

"Ino, now!" Shikamaru called.

"MIND TRANSFER JUTSU!" Ino called from the side, leaping out from the bushes.

The Hound screamed with pain as Ino entered its subconscious.

* * *

_Ino looked on in horror as the Hound in its own mind stood over Kaliana's motionless body, snarling. A tall, pale man stood beside the beast, smiling._

"_This ridiculous plan isn't going to work." Orochimaru hissed. "Don't you understand? It's over. The Fox couldn't defeat me. What makes you think your merry band of incompetent fools can bring me down?"_

_Ino couldn't answer the question. She looked down, feeling defeated. Orochimaru laughed._

"_Glad you see things my way. Now get out, you're giving me a headache."_

"_We incompetent fools…" Ino started. "...are smart enough to distract you."_

_Orochimaru growled, knowing her statement was true. __**"GET OUT!!!"**_

* * *

Ino went hurdling backwards as her subconscious returned to her body. Kurenai, Asuma and the remaining ANBU units looked up cautiously as the Hound regained consciousness, snarling at the group of pests that were strangely hanging around his legs and tail. He attempted to kick at them, but found he was still immobilized by Shikamaru's Jutsu. The beast showed its distaste with an angry roar, which sent the shinobi scattering back to safety.

"Kakashi Sensei! Hurry!" Shikamaru called. "I can't hold it much longer!"

Kakashi came speeding through the bushes, keeping his hand down to his side and holding his arm firmly with his other hand. Inside the palm of his free hand was a ball of chakra lightning. The Hound's eye widened at the realization of what Kakashi was trying to do. It fought even harder for control.

"HURRY!" Shikamaru cried, his Jutsu beginning to break.

Kakashi leapt into the air and lunged his arm forward. He dug it into the Hound's chest, reaching out for Kaliana's hand. He grabbed her fingers and pulled her hand into his.

The Hound roared again, struggling to lift its arms. Shikamaru howled in pain and collapsed as the jutsu finally broke. The furious Hound reached down and grabbed Kakashi; ripping him from his chest. Kakashi's hold on Kaliana's hand slipped.

"**NO!!!**" He shouted as he was torn away from his niece and thrown. He flew through the sky for quite a while before hitting the ground with a sickening thud.

Kurenai, Sakura, Sasuke, Kiba and Iruka ran to Kakashi's side while Asuma scooped up Shikamaru and ran to join them. The Hound released a series of howls, roars and groans as it rested on one knee, absorbing the pain of Kakashi's angry chakra ball, which left a massive hole in its chest.

* * *

Choji went to follow, but he was caught by the ankle with a puppet string and yanked into the bushes. He tried to scream, but a boy in a black cloak with a painted face cupped his hand over his mouth.

"Shh!" He whispered. "We're not here to hurt you!" He slowly removed his hand.

Choji squinted his eyes, for even in the shadows of the bush, he recognized the boy immediately.

"I know you…" Choji said suspiciously. "You're part of the Sand Team! What do you want?"

"We need you to help us free Kaliana." Kankuro whispered.

"Us?" Choji questioned.

Kankuro glanced behind him. Choji nearly wet himself when he seen Gaara sitting there, watching.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Choji roared. "I'm so outta here!"

"SHH!" Kankuro repeated. "Don't blow our cover, fat boy!"

"Let me talk to him." Gaara insisted, scooting forward.

Choji shook frightfully as Gaara sat just inches from him, staring at him. "Look, I know you're petrified of me, and with good reason. But you have to understand…I'm not here to hurt you or any of your friends out there. I'm asking you for help. We need you; you're the only one who can help us. Please."

Kankuro slowly pried his hand off Choji's mouth as the tubby Genin allowed Gaara's words to sink in.

"Alright, alright." Choji agreed. "What do I have to do?"

* * *

The Hound moaned as the last remaining sparks of chakra faded.

"_**I must…perform the Pound of Hounds Jutsu…"**_ Orochimaru sputtered weakly, reaching into his pocket. It was empty. He tried another pocket; it, too, was empty. He furrowed his brows at the realization of treachery.

"_**FILTHY BACK-STABBING NERD BASTARD!!!!!!"**_

* * *

Kabuto rested against a tree about 500 feet from where the events were taking place. He rubbed his thumb over the piece of paper, which held the list of handseals needed to perform the Pound of Hounds Jutsu. He had stolen it, and had no intention whatsoever of brining it back. He ripped it to shreds and threw the confetti on the ground.

"Had he performed this little number, it would be impossible to free Kaliana from his spell. Orochimaru is only human, and he will tire eventually. And when he does, the spell can be severed." His eyes wandered to the far edge of the village, where 2 cloaked men kept a watchful eye on him Kabuto chuckled to himself. "They distrust me so much, they tracked me down to make sure I don't doublecross them. How sweet."

He turned away from them. Itachi relaxed and slunk back into the alley.

"Not yet." He whispered to his partner. "But soon."

* * *

The Hound roared with Orochimaru's frustration, causing the group to tear their eyes from Kakashi's unmoving form and look up at the raging Hound.

"It looks upset." Sakura noticed.

Kurenai turned sharply to her. "We've set the tag bombs in place. Now's the time to strike. Quick! While it's still distracted!"

"Right!" Sakura leapt to her feet and ran to the edge of the mountain. She calculated the distance between herself and the Hound. She pulled out a kunai knife with a tag bomb attached. "Here's a treat!" She shouted as she tossed the knife with amazing force.

The speed caught the tag bomb on fire, and it buried the knife deep in the Hounds leg. The Hound gave another eardrum-shattering wail before all the tag bombs went off. Within moments of the explosions, the Hound was engulfed in smoke and fire.

The ninja on the hill began cheering excitedly. "We did it! Yeah!"

Their celebration was short lived as the now ravenous beast erected itself, despite the lacerations and gashes on it legs. The glared at the group of ninja and snarled.

"_**You've been enough trouble, and I've lost my patience. I will kill you all with a single breath!"**_

The Orochimaru Hound took a deep breath, forming blue flames at the tips of its fangs. The ninja braced themselves, fearing the inevitable.

Out of nowhere, a puppet launched through the air, its strings open wide. It landed on the Hound's muzzle and promptly tied its mouth shut. Taken by complete surprise, the Hound squealed through the muzzle and began frantically rubbing its face along the ground and mountains, destroying the land in the process. Kankuro stood in the distance, manipulating his chakra-strings to hold on the Hounds muzzle as tightly as possible.

* * *

Naruto slowly regained consciousness, digging himself out from the rubble with Hizoku in hand. Tired, he collapsed, dropping the sword.

"_Naruto…Naruto, are you alright?"_ Hizoku asked worriedly.

"Yeah." Naruto sighed. "I'm fine."

_"That was an excellent idea you had Naruto, but it took all your chakra to pull it off. I couldn't keep it up that long. I'm sorry. If it's any consolation…your Fox demon is really pissed for using up all its chakra."_

Naruto chuckled gently. "Serves him right for being a jerk. I guess that Orochimaru guy is stronger then I thought…"

Naruto was forced to cut his rest period short as he quickly dodged out of the way, for the frantic Hound was pulling, rubbing and rolling in a desperate attempt to free its jaws. The Hound's foot was just inches from crushing Hizoku, who luckily managed to stay intact.

* * *

The Hound's squealing delighted the ninja on the hill who watched the scene intently.

"Who's doing that?!" Ino asked with glee.

"I don't know!" Sakura clapped.

"Whoever's doing it, let's just hope they can keep it up." Sasuke said sternly, suspicious of the sudden attack on the Hound.

"Hey, is that who I think it is?" Asuma pointed down behind the Hound.

Everyone stared at the meek figure obscured by the shadows. They all gasped as they recognized Gaara.

"What is he doing?" Kiba asked Shikamaru, who had regained consciousness during the tag-bomb blasts.

"A Jutsu of some kind, I can see his handseals. Oh, man…I hope he can save her…"

The Hound stopped short just before stepping into the sink-hole Gaara had made in the sand. He only hoped it would be large enough. He nodded his head towards his brother, who turned and nodded to someone else.

"Hey guys…" Ino said suddenly. "Where's Choji?"

* * *

**"BONZAI!!!!!!"** Choji wailed as he came rolling out of the woods with incredible speed directly at the Hound.

* * *

"Oh, you've gotta be KIDDING me!" Shikamaru shouted.

"WOOHOO! GO CHOJI!" Ino cheered.

"He is so passing next year!" Asuma grinned.

* * *

The giant Choji wrecking ball collided with the Hound, sending him falling backwards into Gaara's sink hole. Gaara quickly manipulated the sand around the Hound's legs, up it's waist and around it's torso. It's as deep as the Hound would go. Gaara clamped his hands together, holding the Hound in place.

"Look! They caught it!" Ino cheered.

"Yeah, but…now what're they gonna do with it?" Kurenai asked.

Kabuto took a few steps forward, squinting his eyes. No, they weren't deceiving him…Gaara captured the Hound.

_How convenient! Now's the perfect time._

He looked over at Itachi and nodded.

Itachi pulled a kunai knife from his cloak. "C'mon Kisame. Let's do this."

**End of Chapter 31**

**

* * *

**

**_CH. 32 "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart"_**

--------------------------------------------------

The Hound roared and wriggled, working his jaws against the puppet strings. Kankuro's fingers were beginning to bleed as the chakra strings were working their way through his flesh. He wasn't sure how long he could hold it.

Gaara clamped the sand tightly against the Hound's body, struggling to keep it contained. Suddenly, the puppet strings snapped, the Hound opening his sore jaw wide, his fangs shimmering. Slowly, the beast turned its head towards Gaara, snarling viciously.

Orochimaru began to laugh when he realized who held him.

"_**How precious…"**_ He hissed. _**"Did our little Sandman find himself a pretty girlfriend?"**_ He patronized.

"Screw you!" Gaara growled. "Either you let her go and I kill you quickly, or refuse and I slowly crush the life out of you! The choice is yours!"

"_**You kill me now and she dies with me! Now **__**you**__** have two options! Option A: You let me go and your death will be quick, or Option B: I kill you now!"**_

"I'm not letting go..." Gaara clamped his hands together tighter.

The Hound grunted. "Very well." It opened its jaws and formed a chakra ball between its fangs.

Gaara swallowed hard, but kept a strong grip on the sand. _I…can't…crush it. It's too…strong! But I won't let go…_

The fireball launched directly at Gaara, who stood his ground. 15 feet away. 10 feet. 5 feet…

As though she'd flown in on thin air, Temari appeared in front of Gaara, her fan cocked back. She swiped at the fireball full force. The fireball ricocheted of Temari and her fan, sending her hurdling backwards and the ball of chakra fire…straight at the ninjas on the hill.

"It's coming right for us!" Sakura screamed.

"Move! Quick!" Asuma shouted, herding everyone back.

He ran over and scooped up Kakashi and attempted to follow, but the fireball struck the cliff, causing the ground to disappear from under him. Thinking fast, he hurled Kakashi's limp body to safety while the remaining ANBU units fell to their deaths. Asuma managed to grab a root and hang on to it for a few moments before it snapped. But Kurenai's hands gripped his arm tightly before he plummeted down to the rocks below.

"I've…gotcha…" She whispered, smiling at her secret love.

The weak earth gave out beneath her, and she, too, began to fall. But, Iruka managed to latch onto her leg.

"GET AWAY FROM THE EDGE, IRUKA!" Kurenai shouted to him.

Iruka ignored her and began reeling the two back up the hill. As fate would have it, the ground beneath Iruka, too gave way. The 5 Genin latched onto each other like a human chain and dove after the Sensei's. Sakura grabbed Iruka's ankle, Kiba had Sakura's waist, Ino had Kiba's legs, Shikamaru held Ino's waist and Sasuke wrestled hard to keep a hold of all of them. He began sliding forward, all of their weight too much to bear. His feet slid to the edge, the ground crumbling beneath him. Just when he couldn't take it any longer, an arm reached over and anchored him and the human chain below. Sasuke turned to see Kakashi.

"Kakashi Sensei!" He exclaimed.

"Yo." Kakashi said with his usual cool attitude as he swung the whole group of people back to safety on top of the hill.

* * *

Gaara looked teary eyed at his sister's body as she lay motionless on the ground.

"TEMARI!" He called frantically.

She twitched a little and rolled over on her back. Kankuro wasted no time in dashing past Gaara and cradling his fallen sister's head. He looked down at the blood on her mouth. She was bleeding internally. Kankuro held her close, tears cascading from his eyes.

"You…came back."

"Of…course I did…" Temari coughed out. "You think…I'm gonna let…you and Gaara…be the heroes?" She laughed a little. "As if."

"Temari…" Gaara whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. Slowly, he returned his hateful gaze to the toothy Hound, which seemed to be grinning…mocking him. Gaara closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry, Kaliana…" He whispered to himself before squeezing his hands together as tightly as he could manage.

The Hound opened its jaws wide; its loud wail echoing throughout all of Konoha as Gaara increased pressure on its spine in a valiant attempt to snap the beast in half.

* * *

"GAARA STOP!" Kakashi cried frantically. "There's gotta be a better way to do this!" He began to slowly pick his way down the mountain.

"Kakashi Sensei!" Sasuke called. "Where're you going?"

"I HAVE TO AT LEAST **TRY** TO SAVE MY NIECE!" Kakashi roared back as he descended further down the hill.

"But…" Sasuke started, but found himself unable to finish. He couldn't speak…he couldn't even blink.

His eyes were locked on a dark, hooded figure dashing madly towards the Hound. It leapt, flying gracefully through the air across from the snarling, thrashing beast. The wind caused the hood to fly off, revealing the man's face.

"Itachi…" Sasuke gasped out, his eyes bulging.

Itachi gave a passing glance to his younger brother, but quickly averted his eyes and focused on the demon. He pulled a large, shimmering kunai knife from his cloak. The shine of the blade caught Orochimaru's eye.

"_**What the-?"**_

In a flash, Itachi whipped the kunai knife through the air. It danced through the breeze as it flew towards the Hound's heart. It entered through the hole made by Kakashi's Rasengan attack…and buried deeply into the eye around Kaliana's neck.

Everyone who was watching flinched at the sound of the tip piercing the eye, for the sound was gruesome and disturbing. Orochimaru, however, seemed the most disturbed by this sudden halt in battle. The necklace sparked, sizzled, and finally snapped. It fell to pieces as it fluttered down to earth, causing Kaliana's eyes to begin flashing from violet to green. Orochimaru shifted uneasily.

"_**Oh, my…this can't be goo….AHHHHH!!!!!!" **_With a loud pop, Orochimaru was suddenly ejected from the Hound's body with great force.

He flew through the air and landed in a heap…completely surrounded by the peeved ninjas on the hill. He looked up cautiously at the angry, bruised faces of the Genin and Jounin, who cracked their knuckles in unison as they glared down viciously upon the fallen Sanin. Asuma stepped forward, his weapons drawn.

"You killed my father…" He hissed. "You'll be sorry for that…" The Jounin proceeded with a well-deserved beating, the others joining him after a moment. During the thrashing, no one had noticed that both Kakashi and Sasuke had disappeared…

* * *

Hizoku gently shocked Naruto's body, causing him to stir slightly.

_"Naruto, I know you're tired and you're out of chakra…but please, I really need you to reunite Kaliana and myself. It's the only way to send the Hound back."_

Naruto slowly got to his knees. "Okay…" He gasped out. "I can do that…"

Shaking, he managed to get to his feet, Hizoku's handle in hand. His eyes were locked on Kaliana, who appeared to be, once again, fighting the Hound for control.

"Kaliana…" Naruto squeaked. "KALIANA!!!!!!!" He managed to scream out.

Inside the creatures' body, Kaliana turned her head and looked down. "Naruto?"

"HERE! TAKE THIS!" With the last ounce of his strength, Naruto cocked his shoulder back and threw Hizoku with all his might. He collapsed in the rocks and lost consciousness again.

Kaliana's eyes widened when she noticed Hizoku come hurdling towards her. She held out her right arm and opened her hand. The sword sliced through the Hound's chakra barrier and was caught by the handle by Kaliana's waiting grasp. The instant she tightened her fingers around the handle, Hizoku expelled what remained of Naruto's red chakra. The sudden explosion forced the Hound's spirit back into Kali's soul, and sent Kaliana herself flying into oblivion and disappearing into the trees as gravity pulled her back down to earth.

The blast blew Gaara right out of his jutsu and sent him flying into his brother. It also caused the earth to erupt, blasting rocks everywhere, burying Naruto beneath the rubble. His body was immediately approached by the Akatsuki team.

Itachi watched Kaliana's body disappear into the sky and land in the woods. He nudged his partner.

"You grab the Fox and take him to Pein. I'll get the girl and catch up."

"You'd better hurry…" Kisame warned, pointing about 200 feet ahead.

He looked up to see Kabuto, who wore a sneaky grin. Itachi narrowed his eyes at the treacherous white-haired shinobi. Kabuto waved, ignoring the dagger-like stare.

"I know you have no intention of letting me take her without a fight." Kabuto called. "And I accept."

"Do you?" Itachi scoffed. "And here I thought you were smarter then that."

"Sadly, I made the same mistake about you."

Itachi raised a suspicious brow. In an instant, Kabuto disappeared, leaving behind a rotten old log. Itachi gave a half-smile.

"Substitution Jutsu…you ARE crafty…" His eyes swirled hypnotically. "Had you thought of it sooner, you **MIGHT** have won…" That said, the Itachi Shadow Clone disappeared as well.

Kisame's gaze wandered down to Naruto's unconscious form. He smiled as he knelt down and scooped up the 13-year old gently, so as not to wake him. He nearly dropped the boy when he noticed what lay trapped beneath him: Kuriochi; caught between two rocks and completely immobilized. Kisame grinned wickedly and laughed.

"There you are, you little rat turd." He hissed as he pointed to the bandages on his face. "You see what you did to me? DO YOU!?"

The sudden shout brought Naruto back to life momentarily, though he was still unable to move. He glanced down worriedly at Kuriochi as he felt Kisame bend over and pick up a large rock with his one free hand; the other safely on Naruto's back to keep him from falling. Kuriochi, realizing what was about to happen, tried valiantly to free himself; wriggling wildly and scratching frantically at the boulders that held him prisoner. Naruto's eyes welled up with tears as Kisame lifted the massive rock high in the air.

"Good riddance…for good!" That said, he let the rock fall, crushing Kuriochi…and killing him instantly.

_No! _Naruto screamed in his head as tears rushed down his cheeks. _Kuriochi…no…_

Kisame smiled with great satisfaction as a small river of blood began to stream from beneath the pile of stones.

"Finally." He sighed with relief. "You won't be bothering me anymore, vermin." That said, Kisame took off where he knew Itachi was headed.

Naruto hung over the man's shoulder like a dead elk, his hateful gaze never leaving his captor.

_You'll pay for that, you bastard! I PROMISE you'll pay!_

* * *

Kankuro got up shakily, as Gaara really took him out during the blast. After his head stopped spinning, he wearily made his way over to Gaara, who lay on his back several feet away, breathless. The Jutsu had all but drained him. He slowly turned his head towards his brother and smiled.

"Hey, hero…" He panted out. "Nice teamwork…we should do it more often…"

Kankuro smiled back and nodded in agreement.

"Please…" Gaara continued. "Take me to…Temari…"

Kankuro wasted no time in fulfilling his little brother's wishes and gently carrying him to Temari, who lay sprawled along the ground, her fan carried by the wind into the trees. She slowly turned her head and smiled warmly as Kankuro set Gaara next to her.

"Temari, are you okay?" He asked hopefully, his eyes soft and filled with concern.

Temari just laid there, smiling with pride. Slowly, she reached her hand out and wrapped her fingers around Gaara's hand.

"I'm so proud of you." She whispered, reaching out and grabbing Kankuro's hand as well. "Both of you."

Kankuro tightened his grip around his sister's hand, so afraid of losing her. Gaara, however, pulled back a bit.

"You didn't answer my question…are you going to be alright?"

Again, his question went unanswered as Temari turned her attention to Kankuro.

"I saw Baki Sensei…while I was leaving town…He was with some other Sand Ninjas…retreating with them. Fleeing…like the coward he is…" She finished bitterly. "I heard him say, 'I got rid of the traitors…all 3 of them.' He was…talking about us. He sent us on a suicide mission. I couldn't believe it."

Kankuro sighed and nodded. "We kinda figured that."

"**WHY WON'T YOU ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!?" **Gaara roared as he yanked her hand, gripping it tightly in his own.

Temari slowly returned her gaze to Gaara's worried face.

"Are you…going…to be…alright?" He asked again, this time slower and calmer.

Temari smiled shyly and averted her eyes. She shook her head 'no', and quietly looked back up at Gaara, the look on her face most apologetic.

"Please, don't Temari…" Gaara pleaded, grasping her hand tightly against his chest. "Please, don't die…please…"

Temari gave a final weak grin. "I love you…"

"No…" He begged. **"PLEASE! TEMARI, STAY WITH ME!"** He reached over and began frantically to tap her face; trying desperately to keep her awake. **"NO! DON'T DIE! PLEASE!! WAKE UP! TEMARI!!"**

Kankuro turned his face away, for the sight of his expiring sister and hysterical little brother was too much for him to bear.

* * *

Kaliana's speed decreased, allowing her to plow back down to earth. The sonic boom she made when she hit the ground caused trees to fall and the earth to erode. A smoking crater was all that was left, Kaliana stuck in an indent made by her own apparently indestructible body. Moments later, Hizoku landed several hundred feet away, it's colossal weight causing it to burrow its heavy blade deep in the ground. The sword, too, smoked from the handle and blade due to the speed of travel.

And so, the duo sat vulnerable and unconscious as the two hunters that coveted them were nearly there…

* * *

Kabuto jumped at the booming sound, for it was dangerously close…no more then 100 yards away. His eyes widened excitedly as he frantically made his way to the clearing where she had evidently landed.

"Finally! This is it! Oh, sweet, sweet victory! Oh, rapture! Oh, joy!"

He burst from the trees and made a beeline for the massive crater, knowing very well the prize within.

"Oh, baby!" He twittered eagerly as he bounded closer and closer…

A twig snapped beneath his foot. There was a hissing sound, followed by a backlash, and a sudden cry of surprise. Kabuto found himself hanging upside down by his foot from a tree, a look of complete shock on his face.

"Oh, crap…" He muttered.

"Oh, please…" Itachi rolled his eyes as he came out of the shadows. "You're an embarrassment to every ninja in the world, you know that? At first, I thought you wanted Kaliana's power for yourself…to be more powerful then your master…but, my lord…all you wanted was to bang out a cheap one with her! You're disgusting. I killed my entire clan and I think YOU'RE disgusting!"

"Come on…" Kabuto begged. "You have the Fox…what use is she to you? Let me have her…"

Itachi's eyes wandered over to the sword, which was only a few feet away from them both.

"And what about her sword?" He asked, eyeing the handle.

"You can keep it…it must be worth something of value."

Itachi looked at Kabuto, then back at the sword. He grinned.

"Alright." He shrugged. "Sounds fair." He extended his hand. "Come on, I'll help you down."

Kabuto glared suspiciously. "…Really?"

"Yeah." Itachi insisted.

After another moment of contemplating, Kabuto accepted the offer and slowly grabbed Itachi's hand.

Itachi grinned, his grip tightening instantly. "Oh, Kabuto…your brain really must've fallen into your d*ck…"

Kabuto didn't have any time to react, for Itachi quickly and firmly planted Kabuto's hand on Hizoku's handle, forcing his fingers around it with a deadly grip. Itachi then leapt out of the way as a burning inferno engulfed Kabuto, singeing the flesh right off his bones and sending his smoldering remains—glasses and all—into a rock, his skeleton-jaw dropping open, as if to emphasis the surprise of his own death.

Itachi slowly approached what remained of Hizoku; a long, slim blade coated with rust with a chain and sickle rusted to it. It was old, dull and inanimate. Itachi reached out slowly and tapped the handle. It was completely deactivated. With a sneer, he wrapped his fingers around it and pulled it free from the ground. He held it up and looked at it, unimpressed with its neglected state. He brought his attention to the crater. He approached it, sword in hand, and peered in. There was Kaliana; face smashed in the dirt, her clothes singed and torn. She moaned and twitched as she slowly began to regain consciousness. Itachi leapt into the crater and pulled Kaliana out of the indentation. He returned to the surface and rested her near the ledge of the massive hole.

He knelt beside her and looked into her face; for her mask had been destroyed. _She must look like her mother… _He thought to himself._ I don't see Kamachi in there at all._

* * *

_Kaliana opened her eyes slowly. She squealed to herself in terror when she realized she was face to face with the Hound; his body stretched over the DO NOT CROSS line. He was out cold, his tongue lolling uselessly from the side of his mouth._

_Cautiously and quietly, she got up and backed away._

"_Oh no…the White Chakra chains are gone! What happened? Oh, I hope he doesn't wake up. I just can't get mad…that's all…I can't get mad…"_

* * *

Kaliana blinked a few times, allowing her eyes to focus on the figure that towered over her.

"…huh? Who…where…?"

Finally, her vision cleared. Her eyes bulged when she noticed an ominous figure hovering over her, and she reacted in a very understandable manner.

"**AAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" **She flailed and kicked wildly.

"SSHHHH!" Itachi hissed, trying to calm her down. "Be quiet! I'm not going to hurt you!"

Kali's screams carried through the forest, causing two very concerned shinobi to quicken their pace…

Kaliana managed to push herself too close to the edge and tumbled right back in the crater. Itachi sighed and rolled his eyes. He leapt into the crater after her.

"**AAAAHHHH!!!!!"** She started again.

Itachi clamped his hands over her mouth in attempt to silence her.

"Will you shut the hell up?" He ordered. "Shut up! I'm NOT here to hurt you."

Kaliana, finally becoming aware of her surroundings, as well as her captor, calmed her wild thrashing and ceased her frightful cry. She eyed Itachi up and down for a few moments. He sneered with uncertainty when he felt her lips form a smile beneath his palm. He quickly withdrew and backed away.

"Hey, I know you." She said in an unusually friendly tone. "You're Itachi."

He looked at her suspiciously. "How do you know who I am?"

Kaliana stood up and slowly made her way over to him. "I know your brother. He's really weird. He wants to bang me."

"I'm sure he does." He frowned with distaste. He looked around suspiciously. _Hmmm…knowing Sasuke, he's probably on his way over here._

Itachi leapt out of the hole, Kaliana followed close behind. She stopped short when Itachi whirled around and shoved Hizoku's primeval-like blade towards her.

"Take your sword and go. Leave this place and hide yourself. Akatsuki won't rest until they get you…but, according to that decomposing bag of meat over there, you seem to be gifted in the art of being illusive. Take Hizoku and leave Konoha forever. It's the only way you'll live."

"What? Kabuto's dead? AWESOME! I'm gonna desecrate his corpse so bad! I…wait…"Kaliana looked at Itachi curiously. "…You're letting me go? Why?"

"Does it matter? I give you your freedom. Now go."

"Yes, it does matter! Why are you doing this? What's the catch?"

Itachi groaned with frustration. "Must you be so stubborn? I'm telling you to get out of here before it's too late! Go!"

"No!" Kaliana plopped herself on her bottom and crossed her arms. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me why you're feeling merciful. According to your brother, mercy is something you know nothing about. So…why are you letting me go?"

Itachi growled and lowered the sword somewhat. "Alright…here." He reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to Kaliana.

Kaliana snatched it and eyes it for a minute. "I'm stumped…what is this?"

"A picture…of you and your mother…"

Kaliana pulled the picture close to her curious eyes. "Me…and mom?" She rubbed her thumb over her mothers' surreal face. "It got all wet…I can't even see her anymore." She brought her teary gaze to Itachi's face. "Where did you get this?"

"I found it…the night your father was killed."

Kaliana got to her feet and stepped closer. "What do you know about that?"

"Look…you don't have much time left. He…he died saving my life, okay? That's why I'm saving you." He raised the sword again and offered her the handle. "Please…just take it and go."

"Well…alright, I guess…" Kaliana slowly reached out, her fingers just bearly touching the blade.

"Oh, great, Itachi! You got her!" Kisame called, emerging from the bushes. "Let's go!"

"**KISAME!"** Itachi shouted irritably. "What the hell are you doing here? I told you to take the Fox to Akatsuki castle! Get out of here!"

"Fox?" Kaliana questioned to herself, finally noticing Naruto's unconscious form on Kisame's shoulder. "Hey! What's that guy doing with Naruto?"

"That doesn't matter!" Itachi snapped. "Just take the sword and go!"

"ITACHI!" A second voice came. Itachi groaned at the voice…he knew exactly who it was. He casually glanced to his right; Sasuke was standing about 20 feet from him, his fists full of shuriken.

"What're you doing, Sasuke?" Itachi asked with a moan.

"Stopping you and that fish stick from taking my friends!" Sasuke hissed, preparing to strike.

Itachi rolled his eyes. "Go away, little brother. You have no idea what's going on here."

"Yeah…and uh…I never agreed to any form of friendship with him…just so you know…" Kaliana muttered quietly to Itachi, who didn't really care one way or the other.

"Just go!" He insisted again, shoving the sword at her.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" A third voice boomed. It was Kakashi, and the sight of Itachi threatening her at knifepoint didn't sit too well with him. "Kaliana, come to me, quick! While he's distracted!"

Now, it was Kaliana's eyes that rolled with exhaustion. "Uncle Kakashi, it's not what it looks like!"

"Itachi, let's get the hell out of here!" Kisame called aggitantly.

Suddenly, Naruto awoke, his eyes burning and his strength somewhat renewed. He wrapped his mouth around Kisame's hand and bit down as hard as he could. Kisame let out a wild yelp as he dropped Naruto on his head.

"Kaliana!" He began calling out blindly as Kisame attempted to hold him down. **"KALIANA, HE KILLED HIM! HE KILLED KURIOCHI!"**

"W…w…what?"

**"KILLED HIM! HE KILLED HIM! CRUSHED HIM WITH A ROCK!!!"** Naruto's frantic shouts continued as Kisame tried to overpower him.

"He…killed Kuriochi?" She stammered, tears of anger flooding her eyes. "THAT KALAMARI BASTARD KILLED MY KURIOCHI!?!?!?!"

"I beg of you…" Itachi implored. "Please, just go!"

"Leave her alone!" Sasuke yelled.

"SASUKE!" Itachi snapped.

"ITACHI!" Kisame called.

With all the hubbub going on…and amongst all the shouting…no one seemed to notice as Kaliana's anger overtook her; her eyes, violet and cold as the Hound took control of her one last time…if only for an instant…

A sudden hush fell over the forest. The bystanders were too shocked to speak as a sickening wet sound pierced through their incisive arguing. Itachi could bearly breath when he felt the sword's weight suddenly increase upon his arm. Slowly, he turned his head. He quickly released the handle and withdrew upon discovery of Kaliana's body, which lay against the bloody blade that poked out from her back.

It was the look on Kaliana's face; the look of pure shock, that finally caused those who cared for her to break down; falling on their knees in tears at the realization of what had just happened. The Hound had possessed her the moment she learned of her precious creature's death, and forced her to thrust herself onto the blade.

"Oh, no…" Itachi whispered.

"KALIANA!!!!" Naruto roared, squirming beneath Kisame's weight.

"She…she didn't…" Sasuke stammered in disbelief.

Kakashi said no rational words; none that can be written. Only screams of pain and anguish escaped his lips.

Kaliana slowly lifted her head as the Hound retreated into her mind, cackling wickedly. She blinked a few times and looked down at her sword; her Hizoku; as it stayed firmly buried in her chest and stuck out of her back, blood dripping from both the sword and her wounds. She lifted her head and looked at Itachi; blood running down her mouth.

"I am so sorry." Itachi whispered sympathetically.

"No." Kaliana gasped out. "It was my fault…I shouldn't have been…standing so close…"

She turned and tried valiantly to walk away…towards her uncle. Along the way, the blade glowed weakly and broke apart, a black light glowing in her wounds. With each step, she got weaker, eventually crawling on her hands and knees and resting at her uncle's feet. Kakashi lifted her and sat her in his lap, his eyes locked on her face.

"Uncle…Kakashi…" She whispered.

"Shhh…" Kakashi encouraged, stroking her hair. "It's okay…I'm here…"

"I'm sorry…" She squeaked out again, coughing a little.

"For what? You didn't do anything! I'M sorry! Me; all of this was my fault…I'm a terrible uncle."

"No…" Kali sighed. "It was my fault. If I were a good kid…you would never have had to…send me away in the first place."

"No…no that's not true!"

"If I could do it all over again…" She started, rubbing the tears from her eyes. "I'd be a good girl…"

"You are." Kakashi cried. "You are a good girl…"

Kaliana slowly reached up and wiped the tears from her uncle's face.

"Don't cry, Uncle Kakashi…It's okay…I'll be with mommy and daddy now…"

And Kakashi's pleads faded as she slipped into darkness…

* * *

_She was dropping so suddenly into the blind oblivion of the complete blackness of space. She came to a sudden stop, her body levitating._

"_Whoa…what happened? Where am I? It's like I was falling…oh no…I must be in hell…"_

_Suddenly, the silence of the dark was broken by a familiar, Celestial voice…_

"_500 years a demon scorned  
__Betrayed by blade shall be reborn  
__A wretched beast; as cold as stone  
__Shall melt thy flesh from off thy bone_

_His Spirit lingers in thy host  
__But broken seal release his Ghost  
__He slaughters all without lament  
__Spilling blood of the innocent_

_Keep thyself calm and thy mind pure  
__And the beast shall sleep forever more  
__But lose thyself and fury found  
__Shall awaken the Wrath of Fire Hound…"_

"_Oh no…" She whispered to herself. "An eternity of listening to Dr. Seuss rhymes? I REALLY must be in hell!"_

_An orb of divine light appeared before her, illuminating in the darkness._

"_Easy…nice floating ghost-ball…" Kali pleaded. "Please don't eat my soul…"_

_Kaliana flinched as the orb began to stretch and twist. She squinted her eyes, unbelieving of the shape the orb took._

"_No way…" She gasped out in disbelief as she gazed into the ghostly green eyes of the phantom man that appeared before her. "…Dad?"_


	12. ACT XII Ch 34 Dreamweaver

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction**_

_**ACT XII: The Past, The Premonition, and the Future**_

**_Ch. 34: "The Dreamweaver"_**

* * *

_There was a short silence as the ghost spirit of Kamachi floated across from his confusion-stricken kin. He smiled warmly._

"_Hey, little buddy. It's been a while…" He greeted._

"_Dad…whoa…what's going on here? Where are we?" She noticed the handseal he held tightly against his chest. "What does that mean? Please, tell me."_

"_It is a unique handseal that allows the performance of a forbidden jutsu called the Once After Death, taught to me by monks in the Sand Village. It allows the soul of a dead shinobi to remain on Earth to perform one last jutsu before ascending to heaven. There is no time limit, so I stayed…and watched you…I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about the Hound. I didn't know…I thought it was…no, there's no excuse. I should've told you. There's so many things I should've told you and Akita…I'm sorry."_

"_So…since I'm dead…is the Hound free?" She asked cautiously. _

_Kamachi laughed lightly. "You're not dead."_

_There was a long silence. "…What? But…I was stabbed in the heart! Didn't you see that!?"_

"_Of course I saw it…and I'm here to tell you it didn't happen."_

"…_Okay, now you've lost me." Kali threw her hands up in frustration. Her eyes suddenly popped open as a thought entered her mind. "You never told me…what's the last jutsu you performed…to use up the Once After Death, I mean?"_

_Kamachi nodded his head and grinned. That was the question he'd been waiting for. "My final Jutsu…was the Dreamweaver."_

"_Let me guess…another forbidden jutsu?" She asked sarcastically._

"_Only the finest." He winked. _

"_So…everything that happened back there…was a dream?"_

"_Not a dream…but a premonition of what CAN and WILL happen if..."_

"_What can and will happen if what?"_

"_I'm afraid that's for the dreamer to interpret…I can only hope you do it correctly. Remember everything I just told you, please…it could mean the difference between life and total destruction." He began to fade slowly, causing the darkness to return._

"_Dad, wait!" Kaliana called, trying to shout over a loud banging sound that begun quite suddenly. "What if I can't remember the dream?"_

_Kamachi flashed a full smile before disappearing completely. "C'mon…if you can remember the codes to the all the dirty channels, I'm sure you can remember a dream!" He finished with a wink._

_Kaliana cocked her head, flinching slightly with each BANG that continued to penetrate her eardrums. "Dirty channels?"_

_Kamachi leaned in her face as all but his emerald-green eyes faded into the blackness._

"_Get the door, Kakashi…and keep a better eye on my daughter."_

_And Kaliana's complete bewilderment engulfed her faster then the darkness, as she suddenly continued to plummet._

* * *

Kakashi's eyes shot open as he flung himself off the couch, over the coffee table and into the television set. He quickly got to his feet as the head-splitting pounding continued without sign of relent. He stumbled over himself to get to the door, cruising by the mirror in slow-motion to admire his youthful physique.

Finally arriving at the door, he gripped the knob tightly and threw it open, the sun blinding after being in the dark house. He had no time to inquire to his visitors, as a pair of arms constricted his lower legs tightly, the seven-year-old silver-haired girl attached mumbling into his knees.

"**UNCLE KAKASHI, THEY"RE LYING!"**Little Kaliana shouted, pointing behind her accusingly.

It took Kakashi several minutes to realize his surroundings and time setting. He looked down at the crown of his niece as she stayed latched onto him. He then looked blankly at the 3 evidently FURIOUS Kunoichi. He pointed at them, jaw gaping.

"You're from the Cloud Village…" He stated dumbly.

"**YEAH AND WE'RE GOING RIGHT BACK THERE ****WITHOUT**** THAT LITTLE DEMON!"** The squad leader roared, pointing threateningly at Kaliana. **"YOU CAN CALL MY SENSEI ****PERSONALLY**** AND TELL THEM I REFUSE TO TAKE ****THAT LITTLE BRAT**** TO **_**OUR**_** NINJA ACADEMY! NO NINJA ACADEMY WILL EVER ACCEPT A DISRESPECTFUL CUR LIKE HER! JUST LOOK WHAT SHE DID TO ME AND MY TEAM!!"**

It was then that Kakashi noticed the squad leader was disheveled, scratched, bruised and dirty. Her teammates had the misfortune of being covered with a brown, sloppy, wet substance he could only hope was mud. Kaliana finally released her constrictor-like grip on his legs and stepped forward.

"**I NEVER WANTED TO GO TO YOUR FRILLY ACADEMY ANYWAY!"** Kaliana roared. **"SO GO! GO BACK TO YOUR GIRLY-GIRL SCHOOL WITH ALL ITS GIRLNESS! I wanna be around ****REAL**** ninjas!"**

"**You SHOULD be chained up in an alley somewhere, you little ankle-biter!!" **The girl then angrily turned her attention to the still very dumbfounded Kakashi. **"Good day to you, sir!"** That said, she and her teammates sulked away.

Kaliana looked up curiously at her uncle. She poked him in the leg, but got no response.

"Uncle Kakashi, are you okay?" She stopped abruptly as Kakashi swiftly scooped her up and ran into the house.

He put her on the kitchen counter and looked into her face, his eyes suddenly soft and happy.

"Kaliana…" He whispered, stroking her half-covered face.

Kaliana looked around suspiciously. Why was he looking at her face so intently?

"Do I have something in my teeth?" She asked, having no consideration of her mask.

Kakashi laughed a little and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry. I just…missed you so much."

Kaliana ascended a curious brow. "I was only gone 10 minutes…"

Kakashi smiled and hugged her tighter. "Well, it feels more like you've been gone 10 years…" He parted from her slowly and gazed into her eyes—eyes he thought he'd never look into again.

"Do you know what I've had, Kaliana?" He asked, brushing some hair out of her face.

Kaliana shifted nervously. "…A stroke of mental anguish?"

"No! I've had an epiphany!"

"Oh, okay…sorry I missed it." Kaliana answered cluelessly, having no idea what an 'epiphany' was.

It was obvious that she had no clue what he was talking about, so Kakashi sat down and pulled his little niece into his lap and proceeded to explain. "It means…I realize I almost made a HUGE mistake. You see, after you left this morning…I had a dream. Not really a dream…but a premonition of the future. You see, I was you…"

"Me?" She asked. "You were me…in the dream?"

"Yes, only older…a teenager."

"I see…" She paused. "And…do you have this dream often?"

"Don't be a smart ass, just pay attention!" He slapped her off the top of her head and continued. "I was you…and I learned a huge secret about you that your father never told anyone. And if that secret got out, something terrible would happen to you...and to the world."

"What was the secret?"

Kakashi lifted his head, staring forward blankly. "I…I don't remember…" His mind raced frantically, but in his confusion and shock…his mind erased it. "Damn…it was really important!" He growled, clenching his fists.

"Yeah…" Kali shrugged. "Sounds important…"

Kakashi shook his head with frustration and turned back to his niece. "Either way, something awful would've happened had I sent you to that school. And I'm sorry I almost let it happen."

Kaliana took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm sorry, too Uncle Kakashi. I never meant what I said. I don't hate you." She hugged him tightly. "I love you. I'll be good, I promise…"

"You ARE a good girl!" Kakashi snapped. "And don't you ever think anything different! And besides, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I should have never underestimated you. If the Hokage thinks you deserve to pass, then you must be strong. Strong enough…to join me on my next mission?" He offered with a generous smirk.

Kaliana's head snapped up at his words. "Are you serious? You want me…to go with you on your next ANBU mission?"

"Why not? I'm gonna need someone strong like you!"

Kaliana leapt off his lap and shouted with delight. "ALRIGHT! Will we be fighting bad guys in some foreign land?"

"Not just that!" Kakashi encouraged. "On this mission, we have to go rescue a princess!"

"Really? WOW! Just like in a fairytale! Where're we going?"

Kakashi stood up proud and tall. "The Land of Snow!"

As though a record of divine music were brought to a screeching halt, Kaliana ceased her dancing and looked up at her Uncle with distaste. "The Land of…Snow? As in…cold?"

"Well yeah!" Kakashi shrugged. "So, what do ya say?"

Kaliana looked away, kicking the ground bashfully. "Uh, thanks, Uncle Kakashi…but if it's all the same to you…I'd rather stay with Auntie Tsume and sit this one out."

Kakashi stood dumbfounded, jaw to the ground. "…What? You…don't wanna come with me?"

"It's not you, believe me! I'd love to go on a mission with you. Just…not this one!"

"But, why?"

"Well, you see…I hate the cold. Plain and simple. Don't like snow." She shrugged. "Sorry, but I'd rather set myself on fire then go into the snow."

Kakashi gently plopped himself onto the couch, somewhat disappointed. "Oh…alright then…Well, afterwards, I'll have a talk with Gai, and maybe we can both train you…at least until you're old enough to find a school you like."

"You're gonna let me pick?" Kaliana asked excitedly.

"Yup! Now, let me guess…the Ninja Academy in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, right?"

"For now." Kaliana grinned. "But I REALLY wanna go to the Sand Village Academy!"

The mere thought of it sent red letter warnings flashing wildly in his head.

"The Sand Village? Why? All your friends are here!"

"You said I could pick!" She pressed. "Besides, I got to thinking about it, and I don't want them to be a distraction on my ninja training."

Kakashi stayed silent for a moment. Why did the idea of sending his nice to the Sand Village sending chills up and down his spine? He wanted to object, but the promise of letting Kaliana make her own decisions kept him from speaking against it.

"If…that's what you want…" He managed to cough out.

"It is!" She hugged her uncle tightly. "Thank you so much! I love you, Uncle Kakashi! I'm gonna go get my stuff ready to stay at Auntie Tsume's house. Oh, by the way…I broke your suitcase."

Kakashi didn't have the time to say anything as his niece giggled at her misdeed before scurrying off to her room. He smiled and sighed. Oh, it felt so good to have Kaliana back!

The ringing of the phone brought his attention to the living room. He answered it quickly, after only two rings.

"Yes?"

"_Kakashi…this is Sarutobi."_ The Hokage's voice greeted.

Kakashi stayed silent for a moment and smiled to himself. It sure felt nice to here ol' Sarutobi's voice too!

"Yes, Lord Hokage?"

"I'm calling you about Kaliana's test scores."

"Oh?"

"…_I think we may have made a mistake…"_

Kakashi lifted his brows with intrigue. "Oh…"

* * *

**5 Years Later (for real this time!)**

Kaliana darted back and forth through the house muttering to herself as she threw couch cushions, peeked under desks and clothes and tore through drawers, searching frantically.

"Where the hell is my Kekei GenKai book? How can I train at one of the most private dojos in the world without my knowledge of special jutsus?! **UNCLE KAKASHI!! HAVE YOU SEEN MY…?"**

She stopped short when the book was randomly shoved in her face. She sighed and took it from him and grinned.

"Thank you, Uncle Kakashi." She smiled sheepishly.

He gave a light chuckle as he made his way down the hall with a large box in his hands.

"You shouldn't be so nervous." He advised as she followed closely behind. "You're gonna be fine. Besides, YOU'RE the one who picked this school. Right in the Sand Village; just like you wanted."

"It's not just ANY school! It's the Dojo Hidden Beneath the Dunes! Only the most talented ninjas in the world get a full-scholarship to THAT academy!"

Kakashi shook his head as he set the box on the ground outside. "I can't believe you scored TRIPLE then what they originally thought…honestly, I didn't see it coming." He stepped aside, eyeing his niece as she so oddly walked backwards while staring at the clouds above.

"Yup!" Kali grinned. "Me! An eligible Chunin at age 7! Who'd-a thunk it? Whoa!" She predictably fell over the box and landed on her back in the grass.

Kakashi merely rolled his eyes and re-entered the house. "They're practically giving the titles away nowadays…"

Kaliana slowly picked herself up as Kiba and Shikamaru appeared from around the corner.

"Is that the last box?" Shikamaru asked.

"I think so." Kali shrugged.

"It better be." Kiba mumbled. "Almost out of room on the Jeep."

As Kiba and Shikamaru lifted the box together to toss it in the vehicle, Kaliana wandered back into the house, only to retreat back outside as Kakashi walked out again with another, smaller box in his hands.

"Oh…is THAT the last box? I don't think there's enough room for it."

"All the same…I don't think you're ready for what's inside _this_ box yet anyway."

Kaliana lifted her brow curiously. "Why? What's in there?"

"Secret stuff…I'll let you have it when your two semesters are over."

"You're gonna make me wait 24 months to see what's in that box? That's almost, like…5 years! Why can't I see what's in it now?"

"I'll let you see what's in it…AFTER you learn how many months are in a year…dimwit…" He finished harshly as he wandered around the corner towards the Jeep. He sat the box down on the ground and turned to his niece.

He smiled to himself as Kaliana hugged her cousin and best friend good bye.

"I get my new puppy when you come home." Kiba sniffled. "But, until then, have a great time."

"Don't forget to practice your shadow Possession Jutsu every day." Shikamaru advised. "Turning that one guy inside out was only a fluke…you'll get better."

Kaliana smiled warmly and hugged them both. "Thanks guys. I'll miss you both."

She slowly turned to her uncle. They stared at each other momentarily, smiling. Kaliana suddenly launched herself through the air and landed in his arms. They embraced each other tightly.

"You'd better be careful out there." Kakashi whispered. "Behave and learn as much as you can."

"I will." She answered softly, her eyes moist. "Promise you'll be here when I come home."

"I'll always be here for you." He assured her. "I promise."

They parted slowly, their faces red from attempting to hold back their emotions. Kaliana looked at all 3 of them and sighed, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

"Don't go talkin' about me now!" She winked. "Not unless someone asks!"

Kakashi, Kiba and Shikamaru nodded in agreement.

"Konoha's best kept secret." Shikamaru grinned.

Kaliana climbed into the Jeep and slapped the driver's shoulder.

"To the train station, Jeeves! And drive on the bumpy side of the road! It'll make us look more army-ish!" She teased.

Iruka rolled his eyes and started the vehicle. "You know, when Kakashi said he had a 'mission' for me, this is **NOT** what I had in mind!"

And so, Kakashi, Kiba and Shikamaru waved good bye to Kaliana as she disappeared behind the dust on the road.

Shikamaru took a deep breath and walked away. "Talk to you guys later. I'm gonna go cry under my bed for a few hours."

"Let me know how that goes." Kiba half-joked as Shika moped away.

Kiba turned to Kakashi and nodded. "See you, Kakashi Sensei."

"Kiba, wait…are you going home?"

"Yeah."

"Here." Kakashi nudged the box with his foot. "Take this with you."

Kiba knelt down and picked the box up. "What is it?"

"Stuff…that belonged to your Uncle Kamachi."

"Kaliana's dad?" Kiba eyed the box, which Kakashi had taped shut. "What kinda stuff?"

"Stuff that I know he'd want her to have. But there wasn't anymore room for her to take it. So, I'm asking you to hold it for her until she comes back, okay?"

"Alright." Kiba shrugged as he started away. He stopped, a pinching feeling in his gut. He turned sharply. "Kakashi Sensei!"

"Hmm?" He asked casually.

"Is Kaliana…I mean, do you think she'll be okay?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Why wouldn't she be?"

Kiba looked away, feeling a little silly for asking the question. "No reason…she'll be…fine. I guess…"

That said, Kiba wandered away, his mind racing with concern. Kakashi took one last longing glance down the road and sighed.

"You'd better be okay, Kaliana." He whispered before disappearing into the house.

* * *

Kiba managed to wrestle the door open without dropping the box, though it did teeter to and fro, loosening up some delicate object within.

"Kiba, is that you, hun?" Tsume's voice called out.

"Yeah mom!" He answered.

"Could you come in here and help me please?"

"Okay!" He heaved the box up on a table; the corner of which hung over the edge of a puppy play-pen; complete with 5 rambunctious pups inside.

The box fell from his hands with a heavy thud, causing the loose item inside to drop to the bottom…where a gaping mouse-hole left an opening large enough for the trinket to fall through.

It was a gold heart-shaped locket on a gold chain. A small lever extended from the top and an inscription on the front read K.I. It was a lovely, shiny piece of jewelry that glimmered and dazzled in the sunlight. The shininess of it caught the eye of one of the pups. It approached the locket, sniffed it, and took it in its mouth.

"C'mon, little guy!" Hana called to the pup. "Time to go with your brothers and sisters to the Inuzuka Village!" She picked it up, unaware of the fact that the pup had a large piece of gold in its mouth, and placed him in the cage.

The cage was carried outside and loaded onto a cart pulled by two of the Late Lord Kamachi's fine gray horses, which were still being selectively bred in his loving memory. The horses threw their weight into the harness and trotted forward towards the Inuzuka Clan Village, a bundle of pups to deliver to the fine 12-year-old boys of the canine-based society. The pup looked out the cage door as its birthing home disappeared, the shiny locket still tight in its little jaws.

* * *

**The Sand Village: Several Days Earlier**

A dark skinned boy walked humbly down the busy streets of the Sand Village. It was the town center, bustling with markets and buyers searching for the best deals. The boy was not interested in making deals or purchases with anyone. Even if he had money, which he didn't, he wouldn't waste it on such material things. The clothes he wore were enough for him. His eye-catching violet pants, his lovely hand-made turban that depicted hieroglyphics of the past, and a pair of shoes. Each step he took was light and quiet, as though the shoes weighed nothing at all. At first glance, they appeared to be normal desert shoes made from cloth and hide...but a quick eye would catch a glimpse of gold and jewels beneath the disguise. He stopped momentarily and knelt down to tie the cotton back into place, least someone discover his precious foot-wear. He searched the town with quiet precision, eyeing every girl that passed him.

He was quite the unique one; his ebony skin an athletic body caught the attention of every beautiful girl he passed, despite his short stature of 5'1''. He didn't talk to them. They weren't what he was searching for. He didn't even know if she would recognize him…after all, she was only a baby when they were separated. He stopped to run his fingers along his tight, kinky black hair. He looked up at the sun, then returned to scanning the crowd.

"I know you're here…" He whispered to himself in his smooth, soft voice.

He wandered down a back alley for a while until he came upon the streets that were reserved for the wealthy estate owners. The boy smiled to himself.

"She IS here…I can feel it…"

He broke into a run. He sensed her. After all these years, he knew her still; though she probably didn't know him. He skidded to a stop in front of a palace. He looked up with great interest before gracefully leaping over the stone wall. He wandered around the lovely green garden for a few minutes…and then, he spotted her. She was sitting alone on a swingset, her eyes on the ground. He smiled warmly and proceeded forward slowly.

The girl had long, black hair braided tightly into pigtails; her tan skin was several shades lighter then his. She was even shorter then him by about 4 inches. She wore crazy, mismatched clothes and a sad expression on her face. She eyed the soft ground with loneliness and sighed.

"Excuse me…why are you so sad?" The boy asked quietly as he leaned over her, gripping the chains of the swing.

The girl leapt from the swing with a surprised gasp. She turned to face the boy, terror and confusion in her eyes.

"Who are you?" She questioned defensively.

The boy smiled and looked down at the ground bashfully.

"You don't know who I am…it's not surprising." He shrugged. "It's been more then 10 years."

The girl, feeling a bit more relaxed, took a step forward. "Wh…what're you talking about?"

The boy sat himself down in the swing and began swaying his legs to and fro.

"Do you know who you are?" He asked, not making eye contact with her. "Where you come from?"

"Well…" She started nervously. "I know I'm adopted, if that's what you mean. These nice people who own this palace…they're not my parents. They adopted me when I was a baby. Why, what do you know about me?"

"More then you think, Aila…"

Her eyes went wide. "You know my name…"

He smiled. "Aila Kazemara."

She took an eager step towards him. "Kazemara…those were the names of the people who sold me to this family…"

"They loved us, Aila. They didn't want to sell us, but they had to. They were poor, you see…"

"Us?" Aila questioned suddenly. "As in…me and YOU?"

The boy got up and walked over to Aila, taking her hands into his own.

"My name is Taire Kazemara. And I'm your brother."

Aila looked into his eyes with extreme suspicion. "My…brother?"

"Yes. Mother and father sold me to a traveling Bedouin tribe. I've been a shepherd all this time. You, they sold to a nice, rich family. I was so happy for you, Aila. I couldn't wait to meet you when we got older."

He stopped and looked into her eyes, which were glued to his face. Did she even believe him?

"Aila?" He asked.

She let out an ear-piercing scream. Not one of fear…but one overcome with joy.

"**I'VE ALWAYS WANTED A BIG BROTHER!!!"** She squealed as she leapt into his arms and hugged him tightly.

Taire was surprised at first, but he quickly got over that. He never expected his sister to accept him so readily!

"WOW, TAIRE! This is **so** great! Now, when kids at school call me 'Sand Orphan', I can make you beat them up! And, when a boy asks me out, I can send you out to threaten him to bring me home safe, and…"

"Whoa, little baby! Chill! What're you talkin' about?" He calmed her down, unsure as to what exactly she was getting at.

"Well…you're gonna stay here now, aren't you? My parents are real nice! They'll adopt you and you won't have to be a shepherd anymore!"

Taire laughed and hugged her, then backed away.

"I'm happy that you're cool with this. But…I didn't come here to be adopted by your family. And I left the tribe because...I, uh...I don't want to be a shepherd anymore either."

"Well…why are you here?"

"I wanted to see you one more time before I go into Ninja training. I'm going to this Dojo Hidden Beneath the Dunes…"

"Ninja training? Sounds fun!" She interrupted. **"MOM! DAD! I'M GOING OFF TO BE A NINJA NOW! BYE!"** She bellowed, causing Taire to cover his ears.

"YOU?" He questioned. "But you don't know how…"

"We'll learn together!" Aila cheered as she dragged her brother by the arm out of the estate and down the road towards the outskirts of the secretive Dojo Hidden Beneath the Dunes…

* * *

Several hours later, Aila's parents returned from town, and called outside to her. After several greuling moments went by without a response, they walked outside and called her again. She wasn't in the garden. Nothing of hers was missing. All that was left was 2 pairs of footprints leaving the property. The mother fainted; the father fell to his knees. All evidence pointed to one conclusion: kidnapping.

* * *


	13. ACT XII Ch 35 New Friends New Enemies

**_Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction_**

**_ACT XII: The Past, the Premonition, and the Future_**

**_Ch. 35: New Friends; New Enemies_**

* * *

**The Inuzuka Village: 2 Hours Later (That's almost 14 hours in puppy-time!)**

Children ran alongside the cart, slapping the sides and peeking in to catch a glimpse of the puppies within. Up ahead several feet were a group of young shinobi; five 12-year-old boys waited eagerly for the carriage to pull up so they could choose their puppy.

"I'm gonna get the bravest one of the litter!" One of the boys stated.

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm gonna get the smartest!" Another boy gleamed.

"Both of your mutts are goin' down! Cuz I'm getting the strongest!" The biggest boy bellowed.

"I don't care how strong you're puppy is, Hiro, it won't be able to catch mine! Cuz I'm gonna get the fastest!" The thinnest boy cheered.

"Doesn't matter which pup I get." The last boy sneered. "They're all chick-magnets either way you look at 'em!"

All 5 boys laughed heartily. They then turned their attention towards the shadows, where a 6th boy stood, watching them. He was dressed in dark gray pants and a white T-shirt with black lining, his hair somewhat long, but spiky and deep chocolaty brown in color with streaks of gray. His eyes were shimmering blue oracles that were bluer then the deepest part of the ocean. Two red stripes were painted beneath each of his eyes. Yes, he too, was an Inuzuka. The other boys leered at him before the biggest boy, Hiro, spoke up.

"Hey, Akanali! What're **YOU** waiting for? This load is delivering puppies, not a dead horse!"

All the boys broke into laughter, for it was a widely known fact that Akanali didn't care much for dogs, and had a strange fascination with horses. He ignored Hiro's cruel comments, like usual. He focused instead on the pair of gorgeous horses that pulled the cart. Silver steeds with glorious white dapples all up and down their hindquarters; they chomped aggitantly at the bit, their eyes wide and nervous. They flared their nostrils and pawed the ground irritably. He was captivated by their flowing manes, rippling muscles and fiery, spirited eyes. Truly, they were magnificent creatures; no dog could compare to the beauty Akanali saw in the horses.

But, for the first time in his life, one dog took his attention away from the glistening equines. One of the puppies from the cart was carrying something in his mouth. Something shiny. Akanali wasted no time in rushing over and snatching the object from the little dog's mouth. Taken by surprised, the pup yelped and scurried away, catching the attention of the other Inuzuka boys.

Akanali brought the locket into the light and held it up.

"K.I." He read the inscription to himself. "K.I…Kamachi Inuzuka?"

His thoughts were interrupted when Hiro shoved him forward roughly. Akanali turned to inquire what brought on such an attack, only to be struck in the face by Hiro's fist.

"**WHAT'D YOU DO TO THAT PUPPY?!"** Hiro roared, kicking dirt in Akanali's face.

"I didn't do anything!" Akanali snapped as he was once again pulled up by the collar of his shirt and punched a second time.

"I don't care if you want to marry a horse." Hiro hissed. "But I'll be **damned** if I let you hurt a dog!"

"I already told you! I didn't hurt it!" Akanali begged, only to be surrounded by all five boys and kicked repeatedly.

After a few minutes, the boys departed, leaving Akanali bruised and bloodied in the middle of the street. He opened his eyes slowly, making absolute certain they were gone. He sighed and returned his gaze to the locket that he held protectively in his hands.

* * *

The old man lifted his head when he heard the door open and close.

"Is that you, young master?"

"Yeah Kenji…" He answered as he appeared in the living room. "It's me."

The old servant smiled warmly and got to his feet. His smile turned into a frown when he noticed Akanali's condition.

"Master Akanali! What happened to you?"

"I, uh…fell down." He lied.

Kenji shook his head disapprovingly. "It's that Hiro-boy again, isn't it?"

Akanali blushed slightly and nodded. Kenji rolled his eyes.

"What a terrible brute that boy is. Come with me. We shall tend to your wounds."

Akanali followed old Kenji into the kitchen and sat down on a chair.

"Kenji…are you ashamed of me for not fighting back?"

"Not in the least, young master." Kenji replied, wiping blood from Akanali's lip with a cloth. "My previous employer, Lord Kamachi, detested violence, as did his lovely wife, lady Akita."

"Oh! That reminds me!" Akanali leapt from the chair and dug in his pocket. "I found this today. I think it once belonged to your old Master." He placed the locket on the table. "Do you recognize it?"

Kenji's jaw dropped open and the cloth fell from his hands. Shakily, he cradled the locket in his hands as though it were a precious newborn. "W…w…where did you find this?"

"In town…why, am I right? Did it belong to him?" Akanali asked hopefully.

"Yes…" Kenji whispered. He grabbed the young boy's hand and placed the locket inside. "And now, it's yours."

Akanali looked down at the locket, then up at Kenji. "I don't understand."

"Open it, and you will."

Akanali looked down at the little lever that poked out from the top. He pushed down on it, and the locket popped open. Slowly, he pried it open the rest of the way with his thumb, his eyes locked on the tiny photo inside.

"That's Lord Kamachi…" He said as he eyed the man in the photo holding up two infants; one of them, Akanali could see was himself as a baby. "Why am I in this picture?"

"That photo was taken just 25 minutes after the birth…of his twin children."

Akanali lifted his eyes slowly. "So…he didn't just have a daughter? He…he had a son, too…Me."

"Lady Akita had a difficult labor, and was heavily sedated during most of it. Lord Kamachi paid the hospital personel to keep quiet about the situation. He snuck you out of the hospital, and ordered that I take care of you."

Akanali sat on the chair, as he felt faint. "Why, Kenji? Why didn't he want me?"

"It isn't that, young master. Your father loved you. It wasn't…his decision…"

"But, he was the Lord of the Village…"

"Akanali…" Kenji interrupted. "Do you remember the legend of Eudame Inuzuka and the Fire Hound?"

"Of course I do. You told it to me almost every night when I was little."

"What I didn't tell you is that my Master…your father…was the 99th Generation Inuzuka…making you the 100th Generation…" He paused to take a deep breath. "According to the prophecies, the Fire Hound would be reborn in the body of the 100th generation Inuzuka. Fearful that the beast would awaken, the Village forced him to give you up. They made you stay here, in the Inuzuka Village, where you can be observed and kept far away from the sword, Hizoku. If that thing is activated, the Hound will stir within and make the secret location of the sacred scroll containing the creatures' Black Chakra known to all. But, oh what a mistake Kamachi made…"

"What do you mean?"

"It is not you, young master, who was born with the Spirit of the Fire Hound…it was your sister."

Akanali brought his gaze down to the little baby girl in the picture; a single silver curl of hair crowning her head.

"The Hound…is in her?"

Kenji shook his head and peered out the window. "This is terrible…there's no telling how dangerous she can be…"

* * *

"_**VIVA SAND VILLAGE! VIVA SAND VILLAGE!"**_ Kaliana's voice boomed as she sang loudly in Iruka's ear. _**"VIVAAA! VIVAAAA! SAND VILLAAAAGGGGGEEE!!!!!!! YEEAAHH! WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"**_

Iruka merely rolled his eyes and shook his head.

_They don't pay me enough…_

* * *

Kenji looked at Akanali with a great seriousness and motioned for him to come closer. He obliged and leaned over Kenji's withered form.

"Listen to me, Akanali. I'm old and tired and worn. But, you are young and strong. You must go out into the world and find your sister. Bring her here so that I can seal off the main chakra points that allow the Hound's Black Chakra to enter her body. There is no telling if she found that sword yet or not, but either way, we must find her **before** the scroll is found."

"But, how can _**I**_ track her down? I've never even been outside the Village! And even if I do find her? You said she's a ninja! She can kill me if she doesn't believe I'm her brother!"

"Trust me, my boy, if she is anything like your parents as you are, you will have nothing to worry about. And, I'll even spend our savings to buy you a horse…"

Akanali's head snapped at the offer.

"…One from that nice chicken farm. They have a fine collection of cart horses that…"

"Kenji…" Akanali cut him off.

"Yes, young master?"

"…If I'm the son of Lord Kamachi Inuzuka…then I should get one of **HIS** fine horses…one from the great Katavi's bloodline…" He finished with a dashing grin.

Kenji matched the good-looking young man's smile. "Of course, young Lord."

* * *

Kaliana walked down the isle of the train car, glancing up every so often at the seat numbers. She stopped when she noticed the number of the seat that matched the number on the ticket she held in her hands. She threw a piece of luggage at the feet of the girl who shared the same seating area.

The girl was reading a hunting magazine, and peered over the pages upon feeling the updraft caused by the heavy bag landing at her feet. Her eyes were an iridescent yellow-lime in color; this caused her pupils to stand out in a frightful manner. Her shoulder-length spiky hair was up in two cock-eyed ponytails; the color of it was unique and breathtaking at first glance; striped with orange, black and white. She wore tight, blue jean shorts cut well above the knee. A lace bra peeked through the hip-length net shirt. Her waist was graced with a thick, black belt that held the symbol for the Waterfall Village in the center. Over the skimpy outfit, she wore a knee-length black satin cloak that flowed so gracefully even in the slightest breeze. She had 5 rings in her ear and one through her nose. A pair of closed-toed black shoes with small heels completed the outfit. Kaliana grinned stupidly at the stranger and plopped down in the seat next to her.

"Man, am I stoked!" She slapped her knees as she bounced excitedly in her seat.

The girl glared at Kaliana irritably. This annoying silver-haired girl seemed friendly and eager…like a cocker spaniel. She wore tan shorts that came to below her knees and were ripped in a few places on her thighs. A baggy orange crop-top showed off her gangly, shapeless figure. A flowing black scarf was tied loosely around her waist, and a sideways baseball cap crowned her head; the symbol of the Leaf Village embroidered on the front. She wore old, dirty white sneakers without socks on her feet and a blue mask over the bottom half of her face. She had 3 earrings in each ear and a braid of wolf-hair with 3 jade beads weaved in it that hung from the side of her hat. The girl sneered at Kaliana's emerald-green eyes. Indeed, this angry girl saw Kaliana as a rival. With a grunt, she returned to reading the magazine.

Kaliana kept looking at her curiously, fidgeting in her seat. She hated awkward silence, and was eager to break it.

"I'm Kaliana by the way." Kali pressed, eyeing the girl hopefully.

With an agitated sigh, the girl tore her gaze from the magazine and brought the harsh, icy glare to Kaliana, who seemed immune to the daggers. Reluctantly, the girl held out her hand.

"Keikoku Sesshotora." She stated simply.

"Ahh…Keh-koh-koo…" Kaliana repeated, only slower. "Hmm…cool." She rolled her eyes at the silly name.

Keikoku didn't noticed, and continued reading. Kaliana stayed quiet for a few seconds, then nudged the girl again.

"I'm going to the Sand Village!"

"Fascinating."Keikoku muttered.

There was few more moments of silence, then Kaliana spoke up again. "Where're you going?"

With a final, defeated groan, Keikoku rolled up the magazine and tossed it aside.

"If you must know, I'm going to the Cloud Village."

"Ew, not the Cloud Village Kunoichi Academy?" Kaliana questioned with a shudder.

Keikoku lifted her brows curiously. "You know of it?"

"Oh, yeah! My Uncle Kakashi was gonna send me there when I was 7, but I was like, 'no way!' Too far from home for me."

Keikoku sat up, intrigued. "They were going to let you in…when you were 7?" She sounded almost disgusted.

"Yeah…" Kaliana shrugged. "But, I'm too advanced for them anyway, so I turned 'em down flat." She laughed. "Fancy-pants nerds…I'm off to the Dojo Hidden Beneath the Dunes now, to train with REAL ninjas!"

Keikoku snarled under her breath. _So…this little bitch thinks she's better then me, does she?_

"How old are you now?" Keikoku inquired, figuring Kali was about 15, due to her mature-looking body.

"12." Kaliana answered simply. "What about you? 18? 19?"

"Fifteen." Keikoku growled, turning away to look out the window. _She thinks she's prettier then me too! Just because she's younger!_

"Awesome." Kaliana said as she dug through her duffel bag. "Where ya from?"

"I don't know you well enough to tell you my life history." Keikoku snapped as she moped in her seat.

"That's cool." Kaliana shrugged, pulling out a basket. "You want a brownie?" She offered, opening the basket. "My Uncle made 'em…they're really awesome!"

Keikoku looked at the brownies, then back at Kaliana. She nodded. "Alright." She reached in and grabbed one.

"Take two." Kali pressed, pushing the basket closer.

Keikoku reached in a second time. "Thank you."

_There ya go. _Kaliana thought in her head. _Calm your hostile-ass down…_

* * *

**2 Hours Later**…

"Okay, so it's 3 months after my 6th birthday…" Keikoku started, licking some brownie off her teeth. "It was just a normal day…and then…it just…attacked." She trailed, sitting up from her slumped position. **"Are you still paying attention?!"** She snapped at Kaliana.

Kali picked up her head, which she was resting on her hand while trying not to fall asleep. But Keikoku's tongue lashing brought her back to life immediately.

"Of course, I'm paying attention! 6 months after your 3rd birthday…or something…" She looked around nervously. "And it attacked…what was it exactly that attacked?"

Keikoku leaned towards Kaliana, who tried to scoot away as far as possible. The tiger-haired girl then pulled the baggy collar of her cloak away from her neck, revealing 3 massive, disfiguring scars.

"A tiger." Keikoku grinned, a crazy look in her scary eyes. "A big, disgusting, mangy tiger. It killed everyone in my village, then the bastard attacked me. I was only 6 years old…and it ripped my throat out." She punched the window and cracked it. **"THE BASTARD RIPPED MY THROAT OUT!"**

Kaliana, as well as everyone in the car, jumped sky-high at her sudden outburst. Kaliana hid her face in shame as all eyes become locked on her and the loony toon that was seated next to her.

"I thought I was going to die…" Keikoku continued, oblivious to everyone's judgmental stares. "But then…he found me. He cleaned and dressed my wounds, and he took care of me. He didn't have to, but he did. And he was so handsome…" She finished with a lustful sigh.

Kaliana looked at her with disgust and tried scooting even closer to the rail of her seat.

"When I turned 14, I told him…I wanted to be with him…as his wife. And I took off all my clothes, and offered myself to him." Keikoku acted it out in her seat, slipping the cloak down her arms and letting the bra straps of her slip fall from her shoulders.

Now, all eyes were on Keikoku…with the exception of Kaliana, who seemed to be trying to dig her own eyes out.

"'You're not my father!', I said! 'It's perfectly natural! Please, take me, Okaminu! I want to be yours!'"

* * *

"_Take your hands off me!" The man grabbed her roughly by the wrists and tossed her aside. "What's the matter with you!? I love you like a daughter, Keikoku! I even gave you my name!"_

"_But, Okaminu!" She begged._

"_NO! You get those sick thoughts out of your head, do you hear me?!"_

"_Never! I'll never stop loving you like this, Okaminu! Why don't you love me like I love you?"_

"_I CAN NOT! I WILL NOT!"_

"_Please!"_

"_GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE AND DON'T YOU EVER COME BACK! YOU'RE SICK, DO YOU HEAR ME? SICK!!!"_

* * *

Keikoku dramatically threw herself in the isle of the train, her arms crossed against her chest. Kaliana still her hand over her face, her head shaking.

_Why do I have to sit near the weirdoes? _

Keikoku lifted herself from the floor, ascending gracefully like a withered flower reaching for the sun.

"He abandoned me…left me to die…alone."

A sympathetic 'aww' fell over the people on the train. Kaliana snapped her head up and looked at the passengers' mesmerized faces with bewilderment.

_You've gotta be frickin' kidding me…_

"But, I didn't die…" Her voice was beginning to become harsh. "I survived…and I found that tiger that killed my family…and I fought it with my bare hands." She stopped and smiled. "I killed it."

The passengers gasped. Kaliana merely rolled her eyes.

"I tore its jaw off of its skull, and as it bled to death, I collected its blood…and drank it."

The car was suddenly filled with gags and sounds of disgust.

Kaliana laughed out loud. "Yeah…it's not all 'ooh' and 'ah' anymore, is it?"

"I made a pledge to the demon spirit of the clouds that I would become a ninja…and take back that which was taken from me…by a man." She paused and took a deep breath. "Love. Anything that they love, I want to take away, so they know what it's like to lose it…like I did. Also…I'd like to disembowel them when I'm finished." She got back in her seat and put her cloak back on. "That's why I'm going to the Kunoichi Academy to become a ninja."

Kaliana nodded. "Sounds like a plan…" She put one leg in the isle, ready to leap off the train as soon as it stopped.

"So…what about you? What's your story?"

Kaliana readied herself to answer, but all that came out was a sigh of relief as the train screeched to a halt.

"Oh, thank heavens the train stopped!…I mean, uh…oh, poo! The train stopped! Sorry; I was really into your story too…" She hastily began to gather all of her belongings. "It was nice meeting you, Cockatoo."

"It's Keikoku…"

"Kei-ko-ku…I thought I said that…Umm, anyway, bye!" She made a valiant attempt to break for the door, but was snatched by the arm and dragged down into Keikoku's face. "Ow!" Kaliana wailed as the girl curled her fingernails into Kali's skin.

Kaliana looked on with astonishment as Keikoku's chakra forced its way into Kaliana's body. Inside, Keikoku's chakra was intermingling with Kaliana's, which made her very uncomfortable. Keikoku's eyes became angry all of a sudden.

"Your chakra…it's not human." She growled in her throat and pulled Kaliana closer. "What the hell are you?"

Kaliana's eyes darted nervously. "I…I don't know what you're talking about!"

Keikoku's grip tightened. **"I SMELL ****DOG!****"**

Kaliana tried to pull away. "You can remedy that with a nice, organic shampoo! Let me see, it's lather, rinse…and uh, I can't remember the last step, cuz **YOU'RE CRUSHING MY ARM!**"

A grin crept onto Keikoku's face. "Inuzuka!" She exclaimed. "That's what you are…"

"Only on my dad's side!" Kaliana shrugged.

"Excuse me, ladies!" The conductor interrupted them. "What's the hold up? Are you getting off here, or aren't you?" He asked Kaliana.

"Trust me, dude! I'm trying!" Kaliana announced, trying once again to pull free.

The conductor grabbed Keikoku's arm. She brought her deadly gaze up to his face slowly.

"Miss, you'll just have to call her when you get settled in! But, right now, I have a schedule I'm supposed to be on, and you're making it very difficult for me to see it through! Now let her go!"

Keikoku kept her toxic gaze on him for a few more seconds before finally releasing her grip. Kaliana wasted no time in darting off the train, sprinting across the hot, desert sand and leaping into one of the ANBU jeeps that were to take her to the dojo.

The agents that were there to welcome her exchanged suspicious glances. One of the men shrugged.

"Kakashi said she was quirky." He admitted.

The other man nodded in agreement and shut the door to the vehicle.

Kaliana cautiously peeked out. Keikoku was watching her still.

Keikoku held up her hand and squeezed her fist tightly. "That chakra…that powerful chakra…I've never sensed anything like it in my life. What are you, Kaliana Inuzuka?" She took one last glance out the window as the train moved on.

"We **will** meet again…you can bet on that."

* * *

"Psycho hose-beast!" Kali shuddered. "I hope I **never** see her again!"

Feeling much more relaxed that the train had continued onward, sat down in her seat. It was then that she noticed she wasn't the only one in the jeep. She looked cautiously at the two people who sat across from her: a dark-skinned boy with weird, lumpy shoes, and a lighter tan girl with pigtails. They smiled warmly at her.

"Hi!" The girl cheered. "I'm Aila, and this is my big brother, Taire!" She hugged him. "What's your name?"

Kaliana eyed them suspiciously. "You guys don't drink tiger blood, do you?"

Taire and Aila exchanged curious glances with one another, then they simultaneously shook their heads 'no'. Kaliana sighed with relief.

"Wonderful!" She held out her hand. "I'm Kaliana."

* * *

**The Train: The Next Day**

As the last few people stepped off the train in the Cloud Village, no one seemed to notice that the conductor was no where to be found.

Inside the train, the door to the restroom flew open and Keikoku exited, cleaning the conductors' blood off her hands with a small hand towel. Before exiting the train, she rubbed her thumb across the corner of her mouth; wiping off the last bit of blood as the rest of it was splattered and smeared all over the bathroom walls behind her.


	14. Ch 36 Kali Will Never go Away Again

_**Fire Hound: Eye of Destruction**_

_**ACT XII: The Past, the Premonition and the Future**_

_**Ch. 36: "Kali Will Never go Away Again!"**_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything was going great. For once, all was well and in order. It had been that way for almost 5 years now. There was peace throughout the 10 countries. Peace and cooperation. The Akatsuki had been defeated years ago. Any remaining members were scattered across the continents, keeping themselves in the shadows of obscurity...forgotten by all. Orochimaru was also gone—last seen during the Great War that destroyed Akatsuki castle. In fact, it seemed that all S-class criminals had disappeared—gone the way of the Akatsuki, and forgotten by the good people of Konoha. The Leaf Village seemed the most prosperous of all, for in that time, it had expanded its town and now had a thriving economy with successful businesses, a booming population and some of the world's best ninjas.

The Genin of yesteryear had once again leapt in rank. But, some had careers that were more successful then others...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

23-year-old Naruto held the Hokage hat over his head with quiet precision. He grinned as he gently placed it over his hair like a crown. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and sighed.

"Lookin' good, Hokage Naruto...lookin' good..." He winked at himself.

"Naruto! Would you give me my hat please? You're gonna make me late!"

Naruto jumped and quickly took the hat off. "Sorry!" He called as he handed the hat to the young man who reached out for it.

"Ah, don't worry about it! It's not like they can give me detention for being late!" He laughed, pulling the hat over his head.

"Hey, I don't care how old you get, I'll give you detention whether you're the Hokage or not!" Naruto warned with a father-like scold.

The boy grinned bashfully. "I know, Naruto Sensei. Sorry."

Naruto smiled and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's alright. Now, go out there and be the greatest Hokage yet! C'mon! Raise the bar for me!"

"Right! I'll go prepare them for your reign!"

Naruto couldn't help but let out another sigh as he watched his student prepare himself for the duty that Naruto himself longed for his whole life long.

"Hey, Konohamaru...good luck." He called.

18-year-old Konohamaru turned and smiled at his Sensei. "Thanks, Naruto Sensei." That said, Konohamaru disappeared behind the door.

Naruto turned his attention back towards the mirror. He sighed one last time.

"Someday...it will happen. I **WILL** become Hokage, no matter how long it takes. Believe it."--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi walked along the building-lined streets that was once the small village of Konoha. Everything had changed so much. The Leaf Village was a metropolis compared to how it used to be. With the drastic drop in criminal activity, everything was a thriving enterprise. And so, everything grew, including the population. Such an expanse in population prompted an increase in businesses, and thus, Konoha became a city;cramped and stuffy. Kakashi hated it, but for some unforeseen reason, he could not bring himself to leave. He stayed and waited faithfully, for a promise was made that he could never ever break.

"_You'd better be careful out there." Kakashi whispered. "Behave and learn as much as you can."_

"_I will." She answered softly, her eyes moist. "Promise you'll be here when I come home."_

"_I'll always be here for you." He assured her. "I promise."_

He stopped to examine his reflection in one of the store windows. He had gotten older...he could see it from the wrinkles beneath his tired eyes. How old would Kaliana be now? 24? Almost 25? He ceased his intense contemplation as a shot of pain ran through his skull. Even after all these years, his head still hurt from that battle that nearly took his life and caused him to temporarily lose his team to Yamato. Thinking of her provoked the pain in his head. But, after all this time, why would he suddenly think of her now? 10 years ago, she was supposed to return home. Ten years ago. They told him that she and her teammates disappeared just days before she was supposed to return home. He'd heard nothing about her—or the Dojo, for that matter--since then. In an attempt to put Kakashi's mind at ease, the ANBU declared her and her team dead. Bodies were never discovered. Everyone went on with their lives as though nothing had happened. But he kept her final wish; he never talked about her...because nobody ever asked.

"Kakashi Sensei!" Sakura's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to the now 23-year-old Jounin as she ran towards him, waving a brown package.

"Yes, Sakura? What is it?"

Sakura slid to a stop and held the package out to him. "Someone left this at the Academy for you. They said it was urgent, so I said I'd bring it to you."

"Ah...I see. Thank you." He reached out and grabbed the package.

It was a big brown envelope that was taped closed at both ends. Kakashi took out a kunai knife and slit open the top. He reached inside and pulled his hand back out; his fist was full of 10 smaller, letter-sized envelopes; the papers discolored with age.

"What the hell is this?" He murmured as he searched for an identity.

"There's the name." Sakura pointed. "'Kaliana Inuzuka'."

"What!?" Kakashi frantically flipped the envelopes over and read the backs. Sure enough, the name of his long-lost niece was printed boldly across the back of each one. "I...I don't believe it..."

"Who is she, Kakashi Sensei? An old student of yours?" Sakura asked curiously.

"My niece..." He answered, still unbelieving of the surprise package.

"You never said anything about a niece!"

"You never asked." Kakashi answered simply.

Sakura prepared to inquire more about her Sensei's mystery niece, but he took off before she could say another word. She brought her eyes to the ground and gasped at what she saw. During his excitement, Kakashi didn't notice that he dropped one of the letters! Sakura reached down and snagged it quickly.

"Kakashi Sensei! Wait! You dropped one!"

But, it was too late. Kakashi was gone. With an unsure groan, Sakura brought her gaze back to the envelope. It was white and wrinkle-free. Even the ink smelled fresh. No doubt, this was the most recent letter that was written. The envelope was also double in thickness compared to the others. It contained the longest letter. Surely, Kakashi would be rather confused without this letter to accompany the others! She thought about going to his house and giving it to him, but she didn't want to interrupt him. He had about 10 other letters to read anyway. She finally concluded that she would go back to the Academy and leave it there as a message for him so he could pick it up tomorrow. She rubbed her thumb over the lip of the envelope. She quickly shook her head at the thought.

"No! This is Kakashi Sensei's mail! It'd be wrong of me to open it." She said as she turned and started on the long, tantalizing walk back to the Academy.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi smashed through the door of his apartment and locked it behind him. He cleared off a table and parked himself in a chair. He pulled a cord to turn on the light bulb that hung over the table. He spilled all the letters on the desk and spread them out. They were all dated—2 years worth of information in the form of about 10 letters. He decided to start from the beginning. He reached out and grabbed the letter that was written just 1 month after Kaliana arrived at the Dojo Hidden Beneath the Dunes.

-----------------------  
"Dear Uncle Kakashi:

How's everything going down your way? All's well, I hope! Things down here underground are kinda...weird. You get used to not knowing whether it's day or night; well, after you have a few psychotic episodes at least. Besides losing track of time, there are other weird factors here at the dojo. The first weird thing that happened is how I met my teammates. Ironic, if you ask me..."------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Kaliana leaned back in her seat as she eyed the siblings._

_"So, you guys have a scholarship here, too?" Kali inquired curiously._

_Taire cleared his throat a little at the question._

_"Well, I, uhh...got one of those invite things to try out." He said nervously as he pulled out a black card with gold writing._

_Kaliana leaned forward and looked at the card. "Yup, I got one like that a month ago. I passed, but I asked them if I could wait a little while before I joined. I wanted to spend a little more time with my uncle first. Anyway, what's your specialty?"_

_"Uh, speed. Once I get goin;, ya can't catch me." He finished with a wink. "Unless of course, I allow you to."_

_"Neat. You know, not everyone gets one of those cards." Kali informed. "Ya gotta either be really talented or really well-healed."_

_"Yeah, well, uh, my father...was the sheik of the tribe."_

_"Taire, you didn't tell me your father was the leader!" Aila exclaimed. "Why would he make you a shepherd?"_

_"Uh...oh, well, you see he, umm...didn't want me to become spoiled. Yeah, so he just let me...lead, uh...a normal life."_

_Kaliana ascended a suspicious brow. "Hmm. Well...good luck with your test then." I smell a deceiver... She sung in her head. "What about you?" She turned to Aila. "What's your skill?"_

_"Hmm? Oh, I'm just goin' along with Taire! I'm sure I can do something!" She gleamed._

_Kaliana cleared her throat. "...You, uh, don't know much about this Dojo, do you?"_

"Oh, I don't know _anything__ about ninjas!" Aila giggled. "But, I'm a fast learner!"_

_"I see." Kaliana murmured, turning her attention to the window._ _Well, __**they're**__ not gonna be around very long. Too bad. They're kinda cool...---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_"_So, we get to the Dojo and they let me right in. Then Taire presents his card (which I still think he clipped from some rich kid, no matter what 'proof' he gave them) and they let him in. But when it came to Aila coming in, well, that went a little differently..."-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_The man who guarded the gate to the Dojo eyed Aila up and down._

_"Have you got an invitation card?" He asked._

_"No..."_

_"A Scholarship then?"_

_"Well, no..."_

_"Then you may NOT enter this school! Leave with an ANBU soldier at once. Your memory of this place will be erased upon your leaving."_

_Kaliana watched from behind the entrance. She winced upon hearing Taire whimper for the loss of the sister he just found._

_"You there! Inuzuka!" A soldier called._

_Kaliana turned her attention to him. "What's up?"_

_"When you signed up, originally, you had agreed to aid the Weapons Department in biological warfare, correct?"_

_Kaliana chuckled lightly._ "I _do__ like unleashing viruses and watching things go 'boom'."_

_"Well, your assistance in that area has been banned." The man noted. "Court order—you are not allowed anywhere near a chemistry lab! Apparently, 2 years ago, you caused the entire western half of Konoha to evacuate due to your explorations in a science laboratory."_

_"Oh, right...my mustard-gas stink-bomb..." Kaliana murmured in her hand embarrassingly._

_"...And because of that, we're now short extra help in the W.D.! Where are we going to find a chemist with a knowledge of weaponry?"_

_Kaliana thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers._

_"Hey, I got it! What about her?" She pointed outside towards Aila, who was getting back into the Jeep to go home._

_"Her?" The man questioned. "Who is she?"_

_"Who is she?" Kaliana laughed. "Why, she's only the most gifted chem nerd I've ever met!"_

_Taire snapped his head towards Kaliana with a look of bewilderment. "Huh?"_

_"Is she?" The man asked, intrigued. "YOU THERE!" He shouted, causing Aila to stop and turn. "COME HERE!"_

_Aila got out of the vehicle and approached the gates of the Dojo once again. Kaliana stood behind the man, smirking with devilish intent beneath her mask._

_"You're very talented in chemistry; an expert, so I've heard." The man stated._

_Aila cocked her head. "I am?"_

_"Don't deny it!" Kaliana winked. "I was just telling this school how lucky they'd be to have a brilliant mind like yours working in their Advanced Weaponry Department. Wouldn't that be swell?"_

_Aila looked back and forth nervously from the man to Kaliana. She looked at her brother, who nodded._

_"Yeah..." She started. "I'm...the best..."_

_"Of course, I'll test you out before I decide on anything." He placed his hand on the gate and opened it. He handed Aila a black card. "Come in."_

_Aila looked down at the card, then up at her brother, then to Kaliana. She smiled and held the invite to her chest._

_"Yes, sir! Thank you! I promise, you won't be disappointed!"_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Wouldn't ya know it; the girl had a knack for that science crap! She turned out to be one hell of a weapon's expert, especially in the area of biological weapons! So, needless to say, Aila passed the test and became a student. Taire also passed his test. Before ya know it, they assigned me a team...that's right: Taire and Aila! Oh yeah! Major irony in a big way. So, the past few weeks we've been sent on some easy missions just to see if we work well as a team. I don't want to toot our own horn, but...we rock! So, tomorrow we get to go on our first A-Rank mission. Hope we don't screw up! I'll let you know how things turn out.

Love you!

Kaliana"

------------------------------

Kakashi folded the letter and put it aside. He smiled and let loose a big sigh. So, his niece had teammates and a promising career as a ninja. He reached out a grabbed the envelope that was marked sent 6 months after the first one.

-------------------------------  
"Dear Uncle Kakashi:

Remember when I said I hope we don't screw up? Well, MAJOR JINX!!! We screwed up...well actually, I screwed up. I just got back to the Dojo and I'm really tired. I don't wanna go into details, so I'm just gonna say this: If you get a bill for a stolen sickle and chain, I didn't do it...

Love your baby niece

Kaliana"

----------------------------------

Kakashi lifted his head, his eyes wide with shock. "Ah, so that's why I have lousy credit..."

He set that letter aside and grabbed the next one. That one was dated a mere 2 weeks after the last one.  
------------------------------------

"Uncle Kakashi:

They're sending us on another big mission. Something about a bridge in the Mist Village..."

----------------------------------

Kakashi gasped. "No way...not Gato..."

----------------------------------

"Anyway, I wasn't really paying attention, but I'll update you when we get back!"

Kaliana

P.S. I forgot how old I am"

----------------------------------

Kakashi laughed as he folded up the letter and put it away. He grabbed the next letter, which was marked sent the very next day after the one he'd just read.

-----------------------------------

"Uncle Kakashi:

Get this...last minute mission change! Ugh, how unprofessional. Now, I'm going to the very Northern tip of the Sand Village to escort the Kazekage back home from his trip to that newly built Sound Village. He's just being passed from another team to us. Man, I wish they'd send us on an exciting mission already! I joined this Dojo so I could be where the action is. Since I signed up, there has been NO action..."

---------------------------------

"There had better not be any action where you are..." Kakashi muttered threateningly to himself, knowing how HIS mind worked when he was a tween.

-----------------------------------

"What a letdown. I can't wait until these boring semesters are over so I can see you and Kiba and Shikamaru. Maybe after I graduate from the Dojo, I can join the ANBU Blackops and go on REAL adventures with you. Anyway, I'll keep you posted.

Always thinking about you

Kaliana"

-------------------------------------

Kakashi smiled to himself as he reached for the 5th letter. It was dated 3 months after the last one.

--------------------------------------

"Uncle Kakashi

I asked one of the guys here and they said I've been gone for OVER 10 months! 10 months? Really? I did more time in the Juvenile Center because of what they found in my lunch box. Anyways, the Sensei in charge here said he's been dating my letters to you. At first, I thought he was doing something gross to them, but Taire let me know he was justing writing down when I mailed them. Glad we got that cleared up."

----------------------------------------

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

----------------------------------------

"...Anyway, we got the Kazekage to his castle, safe and sound. I don't know much about him, but he seemed a little strange to me. He kept trying to talk to me and ask me questions about my family tree. What a weirdo."

------------------------------------------

Kakashi set the letter down, his mind now focused on what Kaliana had written.

"The Kazekage at that time was being possessed by Orochimaru..." He remembered. "Why would he be so interested in Kaliana?" The thought of Kaliana and Orochimaru was disturbing as well as somewhat...familiar. Slowly, he returned his gaze to the note.

-----------------------------------------

"Anyway, our next mission is up in the Lightning Country. I hope I don't have to go near the Cloud Village Kunoichi Academy. I met this freaky chick on the train over here and she was going to the Kunoichi Academy. I'd hate to run into her again. I'd say 'here's hopin'', but I remember what happened the last time I wrote that. Just keep your fingers crossed.

Lots of love

Kaliana"

-------------------------------------------

Kakashi sighed and placed the letter in the pile with the other letters that he'd already read. He grabbed the next one in line, written 4 months later. She'd been gone for 14 months at this point.

------------------------------------------

"Uncle Kakashi:

I'm starting to really get worried. There's been talk of war with the Leaf Village among the Sand Villagers here. How's everything by you? I'm a little concerned that I haven't heard from you at all. Is everyone still okay? I hope so. Aila got hurt on our last mission, so our team in on break for a few days. I was going to use this time to come down there and visit, but the 'chief' says no one can leave the Dojo. Bummer. I feel like a chained dog sometimes. I can't wait to see you, and I'll write and tell you about my next mission.

Love Kaliana"

-------------------------------------------

Kakashi worriedly reached for the next letter. The pile was dwindling, and still no word on her current well being. This next letter was sent another 3 months later.

-----------------------------------------------

"Uncle Kakashi:

Bad news. Both of my partners were injured during our last mission. They're both wily, speedy little devils, but one good punch and they're out like lights. The Medical ninjas here say they'll be okay in a few months. So, until then, I'll be riding solo on my next few missions. The Kazekage wanted to hire me, but thank goodness, at the last minute, my services were found to be better used elsewhere. Better luck next time, freakshow! Sorry, I don't know why, but I really don't like this Kazekage."

------------------------------------------------

"Good girl." Kakashi smiled as he continued on.

------------------------------------------------------

"Anyway, my next mission takes me up to the Waterfall Village. Did you know we had Hatake ancestors that originated up there? I'm gonna do some research and see what I find.

Miss ya.

Kaliana"

-----------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi tilted his head. "Family history in the Waterfall Village? Hmm..."

He grabbed the next to last letter, which was postmarked 3 months later.

------------------------------------------------------------

"Uncle Kakashi:

Get this--We are related to a Saint! Isn't that a trip? His name was Saint Masumi and he had this cool ability to produce something called White Chakra..."

-------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi dropped the letter and pulled away. Saint Masumi...White Chakra...why were these things so relevant? Why were they dancing wildly in his mind? What did they mean?

----------------------------------------------------------------

"I had the people here at the Dojo test me, and guess what? I might have the ability to produce it too! Cool, huh? I haven't been able to tap into it yet, but maybe I need to wait for something to help me do it...I dunno. Anyway, Taire and Aila are better now and we're heading off to the Hidden Grass Village. Something to do with the mysterious disappearances of some of their local nin. Anyway, about my mission to the Cloud Village, everything went smoothly, and thank goodness I didn't run into that wacko-broad I told you about before!

Can't wait to come home

Kaliana"

--------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi waited a while before he grabbed the last letter. This whole ordeal felt so familiar; an air of deja vu engulfed him. Did this happen once before? Perhaps...in a dream? The years of struggling with his team blocked away certain memories of his past...important memories. He looked shakily towards the last letter. The coloration on the envelope was no less discolored then the others, and this discouraged him. He slowly slid his hand across the table and caught the tip with his finger, then brought the letter towards him. He flipped it and read the date on the back. It was post marked just 3 days before she was to return home. He sighed heavily with worry as he tore open the top and pulled out the last message.

---------------------------------------------------------

"Uncle Kakashi

I think word got out about the Dojo. Everyone was called together today because rumor has it that this whole place is coming under attack, and we have to prepare for one hell of a fight..."

------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh, Lord..." Kakashi muttered nervously as he sat rigidly in his seat.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm nervous, but kinda excited at the same time. I DID say I wanted action after all. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if this was a test. Whatever's going on, I'll be ready for it. Nothing's gonna stop me from coming home in a few days. Don't worry about me! I'll see ya in a little while.

Kaliana"

------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi re-read the last letter, shaking his head with every word.

"I can't believe no one ever informed me of any of this..." He looked down at the pile of letters he had read.

He spent hours reading them over and over again. "I don't understand..." He counted the letters. "I thought there were ten of them? Why am I only counting nine?" He counted again, but to the same conclusion.

He got up and looked under the table. He looked under the chair he was sitting on. He scanned the floor, checked outside and looked through the big envelope the see if it had gotten stuck inside the folds. It wasn't anywhere to be found. He dropped himself tiredly into the chair.

"I could've sworn there were 10 letters...where'd the last one go?"--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura stopped outside the school and brought her gaze back down the the large envelope she held in her hands.

"'Kaliana Inuzuka'" She read to herself. "Hey--Inuzuka...I wonder if Kiba knows her?"

She had seen him at the school earlier, so she entered around back to see if he had stuck around. He did, and she spotted him lounging with Akamaru under a tree just outside the back door.

"Hey, Kiba. What're you doing?"

"Waiting for someone. Why?"

"I wanna ask you something...do you know anyone by the name of Kaliana Inuzuka?"

Kiba sat up quickly and pulled himself to his feet, nearly stepping on his dog in the process.

"Kaliana? Hey! That's my cousin! What do you know about her?"

"Well, she wrote this letter to Kakashi Sensei, but he ran off before I could—**HEY**!!" She stopped short as Kiba snatched the envelope from her hands and started ripping open the top. "Kiba, what're doing?! That's Kakashi Sensei's letter!"

"She's MY cousin and I wanna see what happened to her!" Kiba shouted back as he took the letter out, which consisted of multiple pages.

Sakura immediately calmed herself. "See what happened to her? Gosh, how long has it been since you seen her?"

"What's going on here?" Shikamaru asked as he came up from behind Sakura.

"Shikamaru, will you please tell Kiba that it's wrong to read other people's mail?" Sakura insisted.

"Kiba, it's wrong to read other people's mail." Shikamaru repeated. "Also, it's illegal."

"There! Ya see?" Sakura crossed her arms proudly.

"Shikamaru, dude...you have to come read this..." Kiba summoned as he began reading the letter. "It's from Kaliana."

"Kaliana? Are you shitting me? Let me see!" Shikamaru excitedly pushed past Sakura and began reading the letter from over Kiba's shoulder.

**"SHIKAMARU!"** Sakura roared again, not used to being shoved around. Her call went ignored. She let out a low groan. "Jerks..."

"Hey, Sakura!" Naruto greeted as he joined the scene. "What's going on?"

"Look at them Naruto! They're reading Kakashi Sensei's mail!"

"So?" Naruto shrugged. "I read other people's mail all the time."

"Naruto!"

"What? Like you're not curious to find out what that letter says?"

"Not in the least." Sakura huffed as she turned away. "I could care less about Kakashi Sensei's niece."

Naruto perked up instantly. "Kakashi Sensei has a niece? No way! Lemme see!"

Once again, Sakura was roughly tossed aside as Naruto zoomed past her to read the letter with the others. She growled bitterly in her throat as she turned and started away.

_Fine! When I see Kakashi Sensei, I'll tell him you're the creeps with his letter! Let HIM deal with you!_

---------------------------

As Sakura stormed away, Naruto managed to lean over both Kiba and Shika and get a nice view of the letter.

--------------------------

To Whom it May Concern:

I don't know who's gonna wind up receiving this message. I sent 9 to Uncle Kakashi, but all of them went unanswered. I'm starting to think that maybe they were intercepted. I hope this one gets through to somebody. If you're reading this, Uncle Kakashi, I want you to know that I'm alive. I've been alive and doing ANBU missions for years now. Unfortunately, because of the stealth and mystery my team upholds, I wasn't allowed to send you any letters to let you know I was okay. I'm so sorry if I worried you or Kiba or Shikamaru.

I bet you're wondering what happened to me after my last letter. Well, I was wrong. It wasn't a test. The Dojo was attacked and destroyed by Sound ninjas. I have no idea why. They infiltrated our security system and took out the cameras. They disabled our weapons units and killed practically everyone. Me and my team were down in the cellar (not as a punishment for insolence...) and when we came back up, the place was crawling with about 50 Sound ninjas. They were searching for us...we were the only ones left. We managed to get out, but we knew we couldn't stay out in the open. Taire knew this great place for us to hide out until everything blew over. It was this ugly, barbed wire-fenced, foggy, depressing, hell-on-earth kind of place called the Toxic Swamp...

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"We need to get this letter to Kakashi Sensei." Shikamaru advised.

"SHHH!!!!!" Naruto and Kiba hissed in unison, not breaking their gazes from the note. With an eye roll, Shikamaru returned to reading the message as well.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is gonna blow your mind...turns out the so-called 'Toxic Swamp' is a hidden pot plantation! So, needless to say, when we got there, we stayed for a while. Then, for a while longer. Then...we kinda forgot why we were even there, and we just...stayed. Finally, after what I believe was a year, we remembered everything and found our way OUT of the Toxic Weed Swamp...

Being the talented leader of our little squad, I also had the task of becoming the navigator. I was going to lead us back to Konoha! Unfortunately, my navigation skills are...lacking, to say the least...-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Kaliana choked and gagged violently as Aila's grip constricted her larynx. The Sound Orphan shook Kaliana vigorously with unyielding frustration in every violent thrust.__**"YOU TOOK US IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND LED US TO THE WATER COUNTRY, YOU AIMLESS TWIT! IDIOT! STUPID! MORON!"**_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...I did manage to 'pull everyone together' after Aila's little 'outburst'...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Kaliana struggled to carry both Aila and Taire's weight on her shoulders as they leaned against her, hobbling on twisted ankles._

_"Ya know, if you weren't busy trying to chase me down with a kunai knife, you wouldn't have fallen and twisted your ankle, and Taire wouldn't have fallen and twisted_ _his__ ankle if he wasn't trying to stop __you__." Kaliana mumbled irritably._

"And if _**you**__ didn't lead us in the __**wrong direction**__, I wouldn't have attacked you...dumbass." Aila grumbled back._

_"Hey...who's that?" Taire stopped walking and focused on the people coming at them._

_"I dunno." Kaliana answered, befuddled._

_"It's her, it's her!" Some of the townspeople called. "It's the young Chunin who helped us before! She's got them! She's got them!"_

_"Hey, wait a minute...I know these people! I went on a mission here while you guys were laid up! This is the Waterfall Village! HEY, FOLKS!" Kaliana greeted._

_"Okay, but...why are they so interested in me and Taire?" Aila inquired as the mob got nearer._

_"Oh, no..." Taire muttered as he backed away from Kaliana's support. Despite his sister and teammates' calls, he attempted to run away. But his injured ankle prevented him from getting very far, and the mob was on him instantly._

_"TAIRE!" Aila screamed worriedly as the mob began apprehending her brother violently._

_"HEY, STOP THAT!" Kaliana shouted. "WHAT"RE YOU DOING TO HIM?"_

_Kaliana was immediately approached by one of the townsmen. "Congratulations, young lady, you have assisted in the arrest of a wanted criminal."_

_"That's ridiculous!" Kaliana argued. "What'd he do?"_

_"This boy has been charged with 1) Impersonating the son of a Sheik and stealing his belongings and 2) Kidnapping the young Aila Kazemara of the Nagashu Royal family..."_

_"He did NOT kidnap me!" Aila snapped._

_"This is bogus! Let him go!" Kaliana demanded._

_"I'm afraid his jurisdiction lies with the Kazekage. Consult with him if you want your felonious friend to be released." The man then turned to Aila. "Your family misses you terribly. I have some ninjas that will escort you home."_

_Kaliana grabbed Aila's arm. "She's staying with me. We're going to do whatever it takes to free Taire."_

_Aila nodded in agreement. "That's right. I'm not leaving my brother."_

_Taire watched from afar and smiled to himself, despite being in an uncomfortable and painful position with his hands tied tightly behind his back. "Aila...Kaliana...you guys are the best."_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dude...it's like a soap opera..." Naruto swooned as he leaned his body over Shikamaru's shoulder.

Shikamaru brought an annoyed gaze to Naruto's face before pushing him away. "GET OFF OF ME!" Shika proceeded to look around for Kiba, but found that he was gone. "What happened to Kiba?"

"Oh, well, he said we were reading too slow, and he took the rest and read it...then, he left on Akamaru." Naruto handed Shikamaru the small stack of papers that made up the letter. "He left this though. Wanna finish it before we bring it to Kakashi Sensei? I wanna see what happened to that Taire kid...whoever he is."

"Yeah, let's read on. _I_ wanna see what made Kiba take off like that."------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kiba dashed through the door of his mother's house and rounded a corner into a deep coat closet. Inside, beneath a pile of winter jackets was an old, delapitated box. Kiba reached over, grabbed the box by the sides and pulled it out.

"Kakashi Sensei told me to give this stuff of Kamachi's to Kaliana when she comes home...I've been waiting a long time to do this." He smiled excitedly as he turned and kicked the closet door closed.

He flinched at the sound of ripping cardboard and the series of clump noises that followed. The box was suddenly weightless. Kiba looked down to see that all the contents had ripped through the bottom of the rotted, old box and were now scattered all over the floor.

"Crap..." He muttered as he set off to the kitchen to find another box.

On the floor lay about 25 scrolls. Among them was a smaller, sleeker box. The corner where the top and bottom met had opened slightly, revealing a tiny shimmering peek of black snake skin-like leather. Kiba returned in moments with another box; albeit a much smaller one. After placing the sleek box that contained the mysterious leather outfit safely within the new box, Kiba then proceeded to stack the scrolls atop each other in an attempt to keep everything from falling out. He gathered the over-loaded box in his arms gently and managed to get himself out the door without dropping anything. His goal: to get this stuff to Kakashi's house, where Kaliana would undoubtedly visit first upon her return.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura walked quietly down a small dirt road outside of Konoha City. It was one of the few secluded trails that were left. She enjoyed walking down the peaceful path that lead into the woods where she planned on training her own squad one day. It was usually private, but today, an unexpected visitor happened to be on the same little road, along with a spy that watched them from the bushes.

Sakura stopped dead in her tracks when that platinum blonde hair came into view. She groaned with uncertainty.

"Ino..."

It had been quite a long time since they'd seen each other, for Ino had left Konoha a few years after the Great War. Sakura didn't quite know how to react to her long-time rival's return. Ino, however, seemed thrilled.

"Sakura! Hi!" She cheered as she ran up to and hugged the very confused Sakura. "It's been ages! How are you?"

Sakura stood staring blankly at Ino's face. She hadn't changed much at all, with the exception of her surprisingly short new hairstyle and eye-drawing outfit: skintight navy blue pants with light blue lightning streaks down the sides of the legs, flowy white shirt with a dazzling blue fabric draped over her shoulders and chest, and to top it all off, a big black belt christened with the symbol of the Leaf Village buckled tightly around her waist.

"Uhh...I'm fine. I'm a Jounin now..." She managed to cough out. "I might even get some students this year. What about you? What've you been up to? Since you left Konoha, I mean..."

Ino smiled at the questions. Perhaps, after all this time, they could be friends again. Sakura had grown up, and even appeared to be more mature-looking then Ino herself. Her hair had grown out again; the rosy tresses were now down to the middle of her back and was is a high ponytail with random lengths hanging over her eyes and ears. She wore a flowing red dress that came up to her mid-thigh in the front, but flowed from behind down to her ankles. She wore black shorts underneath that were down to just above her knees. The top of the dress that accentuated her bussom was the same type of material that formed her 'tail'. The scarlet frock was lined with white along the sides and around the arms. Her headband was tied to her upper thigh like a garterbelt.

"I'm happy to hear that you're a Jounin now. That's great! Good for you! I haven't been doing a whole lot of training lately..."

"Why not? Don't you like being a ninja?" Sakura inquired; shocked by this news.

Ino shrugged. "I just...don't think it's worth it...each time they've had to rebuild this Village, I always asked myself...why am I doing this?" She sighed and looked up at the new, industrialized Konoha. "How long do you think it'll last this time...before it's destroyed again?"

Sakura turned away. Ino's words were true...

"How are your teammates?" Ino asked suddenly, snapping Sakura into defense mode.

"I don't know where Sasuke is, if **THAT'S** what you mean..." She barked.

Sasuke was one of the many who wound up vanished after the war. Some say he went with Orochimaru, while others believed he wandered away by himself. Either way...he'd been deemed a criminal long before the war...

Ino smiled and laughed lightly. "I meant Naruto. I don't care about Sasuke."

Sakura perked up. "What?"

Ino sighed and rolled her eyes. "I've outgrown him over the years. I don't like him anymore...I just don't think he's right for me."

Sakura was dumbfounded. No longer a rival in battle OR in love...She shifted uneasily.

"You...really don't like him anymore?"

"Honest. Why...do you still like him?" She inquired with extreme girly curiosity.

Sakura blushed and turned away quickly. "You...asked me about Naruto...he's fine...he's with Shikamaru. They're reading Kakashi Sensei's mail."

"Oh, yeah? They could get in big trouble for that. Why are they so interested in it?"

"Oh, something about Kakashi Sensei's niece..."

-------------

They spy in the bushes gasped. _Kaliana? She's alive?_

-------------

"I didn't know Kakashi Sensei had a niece..." Ino said, fascinated by the news. "Why didn't he ever say anything?"

"Apparently, because no one ever asked." Sakura shrugged. "Anyway, I think she might be coming here soon or something...I dunno, I didn't read the letter."

-------------

The mysterious man retreated into the bushes with his information.

----------------

Sakura and Ino quieted their conversation and peered into the bushes when they heard a twig snap.

"Did you hear something just now?" Sakura asked quietly.

"Yeah...in there." Ino whispered.

The two kunoichi slowly approached the tall bushes. Each grabbed a branch and pulled. They gasped simultaneously...---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kiba struggled down the street with the awkward, filled-to-capacity box. The scrolls were stacked so high, he could barely see where he was going, and he fought madly to keep the teetering scrolls from rolling out. The last thing he needed was to smash into someone...

She came strutting from around the corner, brimming with a hateful aggression not seen in a visitor in Konoha for many years. She slammed her shoulder right into the box, knocking it out of his hands and sending the contents spewing everywhere. Kiba roared with frustration.

**"AH SHIT!!"** He turned to the girl and screamed. **"WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING?!"**

The girl snarled in her throat and turned slowly to face him. Her hair was a crazy black, orange and white striped pattern similar to a tiger's coat. It matched her knee-length striped boots. She wore a skimpy black lingerie gown that came to her upper thighs and frilled at the ends. Her legs were garnered with fishnet stockings. She wore an over-sized golden cloak that was lined inside with red satin. The massive cloak came to her ankles. Her eyes; her eerie, glowing eyes; were an iridescent lime green, which made her pupils appear blacker and bolder then they really were. She glared at him with an evil, demonic gaze. Her sights were locked on the stripes beneath his eyes.

_Inuzuka... _She thought to herself. She then brought her gaze down to the ground, where she noticed two of the scrolls rolling towards her. They stopped at her feet. She looked back over at Kiba, then down at the scrolls. She gently draped her cloak over them and pulled them close.

Kiba looked around frantically, making sure he'd gotten them all. He didn't know how many he'd had in the first place, but he just hoped he managed to grab them all. He got up again and glared at the girl, who simple watched him intently.

"Thanks for your help, bitch." He hissed before taking off.

The girl watched him leave, licking her fangs with gentle precision. "You're dead, dog-boy...I **WILL** have your blood..."

She knelt down and grabbed the scrolls. She held them up and looked at them carefully. The seals were loud and clear: these were Forbidden Jutsus. She held them tightly against her chest and left immediately.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Her travels took her from the Kunoichi Academy in the Cloud Village down to Konoha. In the years since she met Kaliana, Keikoku had read every Inuzuka Legend she could get her hands on. She learned many, many things about the clan and the clans' breakoffs. She studied up on as many Forbidden Jutsus as she could and even stole some from as many elite criminals as she could come in contact with. She even had the 'pleasure' of meeting Orochimaru.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_The 4 of them bounded through the trees in a great hurry. Every one of them were S-Class criminals on the run, for ever since the war, they were sorely outnumbered and desperate for new members. He stopped first, sensing her presence immediately._

_"Orochimaru! What's the hold up? Let's go!" Sasuke snapped, turning to get a quick glance at the man who he hated working for._

_Orochimaru turned slightly and grinned. "You three go on ahead. I'll be there momentarily." That said, he turned and took off back from where they just came._

_Karin sighed and rolled her eyes. "What's his hurry? Gotta bleed the lizard or something?"_

_"Must be something like that, if he told us to go on without him." Kabuto shrugged. "Let's go."_

_Kabuto and Karin readied themselves to leave, but Sasuke had other plans..._

----------------------------

_Orochimaru creeped silently through the bushes, his ears straining to hear the growling, plus the hideous sound of ripping flesh. Excited, he stepped closer and moved the branches, peering between them._

_She was on all fours standing over a body of what appeared to be a man...or what was left of one; his eyes open and his mouth twitching lightly. He was still alive, mouthing for help from the strange visitor that watched from the bushes. The girl, feeling her prey calling for help ceased her eating and turned. Orochimaru gasped rather loudly when he noticed the blood smeared all over her mouth. The girl, aware of his presence, roared and leapt to her feet. She bounded towards the bushes, snarling wildly. Orochimaru had to think fast, and he knew running away from a tiger would be a foolish decision. He instead stepped out of the bushes and directly in her path. It worked, and the surprise of his boldness caused her to slid to a stop, spraying the strange, pasty man with gravel and dirt. She hissed at him furiously, misting him with blood; for no one had ever caught her feeding before._

_"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!?!?"_

_Orochimaru merely grinned. "You needn't worry about me, my dear...I do not wish to interrupt your meal. Forgive me..."_

_The girl growled. "I know you...I've heard others talking about you....you're that snake, Orochimaru; Leader of the fallen Sound Village." She scoffed at him. "You're a loser and a coward just like all the others."_

_Orochimaru laughed. "And I've heard of you too. You're the charming and mysterious...uh, man-eater who's been taking out every criminal you can get your dripping claws on. Bravo, you have my respect." _

_"You can keep your respect and shove it up your snake-hole; I don't want it." She snapped, turning away. "There's only one thing I'm after, and it's not you. Now get lost, before I give you a personal introduction of my intestinal tract."_

_Orochimaru simply laughed again. Never before had he been so attracted to a...woman. He stepped closer. "Sounds to me like you have it in for someone. Revenge is always delicious. Who is this...man...that provokes your hunger for revenge, my dear?"_

_Keikoku glared up at him. How did he know it was a man who spurned her? She growled again and ran her claws along a rock, the sound of it even caused Orochimaru to tremble._

_"I seek revenge on many, but I'll start with just one." She slammed her claws against the rock, creating a little spark. "Kaliana Inuzuka..."_

_Orochimaru's eyes widened. Keikoku noticed and grinned. "You've heard of her then?" She smirked._

_Orochimaru shrugged and nodded. "I've...heard things." He rubbed his hand along a tree. "Her father was murdered on her 4th birthday...and her mother, tragically, died a few months later..." He paused and licked his lips. "I personally witnessed her mother's demise..." he finished his eyes rolling back in his head as if he was reliving a moment of ecstasy._

_Keikoku narrowed her eyes. Son of a bitch...he killed her parents."Why do you know so much about her?" Keikoku growled, stepping closer. "What does she possess that you covet?"_

_Orochimaru smiled. "I was about to ask you the same thing..."_

_Both looked away nervously. Orochimaru peered at her from the corner of his eye; she was biting her lip. His eyes widened._ _So...this one doesn't want to kill Kaliana for revenge...no, she must know of the Hound too...she wants it..._

_"If you want to capture her, you can't do it alone." Orochimaru offered. "Join me."_

_Keikoku looked up and down at the pale-skinned Sanin. She laughed. "I wouldn't work for you if you handed me Kaliana on a golden platter, you slimy, lying, tongue-flicking, belly crawling pile of snake shit." She emphasized each insult by taking a step closer until she was in his face._

_Orochimaru growled at the insult; both enraged and oddly aroused by it._

_Keikoku motioned her head towards the trees behind them. "Your parasitic colleagues are waiting for you."_

_Orochimaru turned to face the trees. He turned back to Keikoku, only to find that she was gone. He balled up his fists and squeezed with rage. "Damn it..."_

_The 3 ninjas dropped down from the trees. Sasuke spoke first._

_"Who was she?"_

_Orochimaru grumbled harshly in response. "I was about to find out...before you 3 leeches screwed it up for me." He turned to face them and bounded right past them. "Let's go. We're losing daylight."_

_Karin and Kabuto took off obediently. Sasuke lingered behind, staring into the treetops. He narrowed his eyes. Who was that staring back at him?_

_"Hey! What're you waiting for? Get your tight little ass moving!" Karin snapped._

_Sasuke looked up at her with agitation and followed. Keikoku watched him leave from her perch in the tree. She leaned back, wiping the blood off her mouth. Had she known that a diet of human flesh was part of the deal when dedicating her soul to the Demon Tiger of the Clouds, she never would have done it. It was the one thing she hated most about herself; and the fact that Orochimaru caught her feeding was tearing her up inside. She growled viciously to herself._

_"Orochimaru, you know more about me then anyone ever should. I want to kill you for that. But, your knowledge about Kaliana stretches far beyond my own. How do you know so much about her? Why did you kill her parents? Was it all for the Hound? Have you been following that girl her whole life, making it a living hell, just so you can possess the Fire Hound?" She stopped and stood up. "If that creature is as powerful as I think it is; I want it. I don't care if I have to kill Orochimaru myself; the Fire Hound_ _will__ be mine...because without it, I could never control the Akatsuki." She stopped and sighed, closing her eerie eyes. "Akatsuki...that's my true destiny...------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Many of the previous Akatsuki members who were on the run suffered an agonizing death by her hand. She was ashamed of them. She had studied, too, on the Akatsuki Organization, and dreamed one day of running it and acquiring the power they failed to get: she only had to find it now.

She looked up at the old ruins of the Akatsuki castle. She inhaled deeply the scent of decay. She scrunched up her face in disgust.

"Worthless wretches...pathetic failures...I shall rebuild what you so carelessly allowed to become destroyed."

She began searching the castle from top to bottom. It had to be in there somewhere. She'd heard them talking about it before. She ripped through tattered drapes and smashed through the weakened walls.

**"WHERE THE HELL IS IT!?"** She roared, destroying more of the already devastated castle.

During her tantrum, she knocked down a support beam, which crumbled down into hidden room below. She peered down the hole as the dust cleared. She hopped inside and squinted through the darkness. She could make out a desk, a chair, some old files and a large, flat stone carving hanging on the far wall. She approached it and ran her finger along it; it was covered with dust. She grunted and took a step back. She stretched her legs and took a defensive stance. She took a deep breath...and roared. It was a thunderous sound that caused the entire castle to shake and crumble. The dust exploded out of the windows with an echoing boom. She stood patiently as the dust settled, her eyes locked on the artistic depiction of what appeared to be a giant, salamander-shaped mechanical robot. Keikoku gasped as she shakily ran her fingers across it.

"Koufusha no Saiyaku...." She whispered. "You're power belongs to me now, Deliverer of Disaster. I will not fail you like the others did. I will collect the demon chakra needed to fuel your power...and I know just where to get it, too..." She smiled at the thought of extracting Kaliana's powerful demon Hound, one of the many legends Keikoku had studied up on. "The Fire Hound will be my first sacrifice to the great creature...but I can't do it alone..."

She looked down at the forbidden scrolls. She broke the seal on one and opened it. She gasped at the new power she obtained. "Extraordinary...A Jutsu that brings people back from the dead..." She smiled. "I don't want help from those sniveling cowards who hide in the shadows like rats...I want help from Akatsuki members who died in uniform..."

She walked over to the desk and began searching through all the files. She collected some and set them aside.

"They may be men, but they will do. My chakra will control them." She placed the scroll on top of the first file; the name on top read 'Itachi Uchiha'. "I'll get to you in a minute."

She opened the second scroll and read it. Then she set it down, baffled. "That's strange...a Jutsu that can summon a weapon from...another universe?" She picked it up and read it again, just to make sure she wasn't mistaken. It was plain as day: a weapon from an alternate dimension. She rubbed her chin curiously. "This is just too interesting to pass up...I've gotta try this."

She spread the scroll open all the way. It was a summoning jutsu, so she cut her fingers; all of them. The jutsu called for another slice in the palm of each hand. She obeyed and proceeded with the handseals. Ino, Inu, Saru, Tori, Hijitsu...she stopped when she got to the last seal on the scroll. She'd never seen it before. She imitated it perfectly; she clasped her fingers together, both index fingers up, along with both thumbs. The seal instructed that the bearer hold their index fingers away from them, with their thumbs in the air, and their arms straight and rigid with no bend in the elbow whatsoever. She copied the move. The last instruction was to simply thrust your coupled thumbs forward. She did.

There was a loud bang that sounded like an explosion, a sudden and very strong kickback, the scent of fire and smoke, and the feel of something metal in her hands. She dropped the noisy, powerful thing and leapt back, her ears still ringing from the boom. She looked down at the strange weapon she summoned. It was black and shiny; made from heavy metals. It had what appeared to be a handle and a long tube from which the thunder and fire came. A tiny lever near the handle was present...the secret button that triggered the weapons activation. She looked up at the smoking hole the thing blew through the brick wall.

She slowly approached the projectile and wrapped her fingers around it.

"What...is...this?"

She held it up in the light and examined it carefully. _What a device...with the power behind the thrust, I could attack someone from very far away...or, better yet, I can get more of these things...for my army of undead Akatsuki members...I can rule the world with this..._Keikoku smiled a toothy grin and held the gun up proudly, cocking back the pin.

"Konoha will finally be destroyed, once & for all....wait until they get a load of me..."------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ino walked through the bushes, mezmorized by the beautiful horse that pawed the dried twigs on the ground.

"Ino! What're you doing? It could be dangerous!" Sakura warned, following behind cautiously. "Besides, the owner might not be very friendly..."

Ino continued to walk towards the lovely little mare. She was all pearly-gray with chrome dapples along her flanks. Her front legs were black, as was her tail with the exception of the white frosting over the top. Her mane was smoky gray with a sooty black frosting over the top. Her head was black, but she had a white blaze on her face with creamy spots spattered across her muzzle. She had one blue eye and one green eye. She nickered softly flicked her furry, elfin ears.

"Oh, Sakura! Isn't she beautiful?" Ino asked dreamily as she rubbed her hands over the horses' coat.

Sakura couldn't help but approach the horse and rub her hands over its shoulders.

"She is very nice looking." She leaned over into the mare's face. "So, you're the one who was listening in on us, huh, pretty girl?" She cooed, stroking the horses' mane.

"I've never seen such a pretty horse!" Ino gleamed.

"Why, thank you." A dashing voice came from behind.

Ino and Sakura whipped around and swooned at the sight of him. He was tall; about 6'4'', and wore form-fitting black pants and a baggy white shirt. His hair was spiky and deep brown with random silver streaks in his bangs. His eyes were blue like the dawn sky, accentuated by the vibrant red stripes beneath them. He smiled at them, making them swoon again.

"Hi, ladies. My names' Akanali Inuzuka."

The girls were silent. They couldn't form words, for the knock-out in front of them had them completely flabbergasted.

Finally, Ino spoke. "I...uh, well...she's Sakura..." Sakura nodded, not taking her eyes off the hottie for a second. "I don't remember my name..." Ino admitted bashfully.

"I don't remember her name either..." Sakura sighed dreamily, despite Ino's glare.

Akanali laughed. "It's nice to meet you both. I must be lucky, because the first people I meet when I get here are the two prettiest girls I've ever seen." He finished by kissing their hands.

Completely flushed, the two girls giggled stupidly. Akanali patted his mare.

"This is Rinuma. I've had her for almost 12 years now. We're trying to get to Konoha. It's that way, right?" He asked hopefully.

Again, the girls just giggled. Akanali smiled again. "That's alright, I'm sure I'll find it." He gently caressed their faces before mounting up. The girls shuddered and were now giggling uncontrollably.

"Stay beautiful, girls!" He called with a wink before galloping away down the trail.

Sakura and Ino stood there all a flutter like a couple of Elvis fans who just met the King himself. It was finally Sakura who broke the silence.

"Wow...you know, I've decided. Us fighting over Sasuke is childish."

"I was just thinking the same thing!" Ino exclaimed.

"Things would be much better if I went with Akanali and YOU went with Sasuke."

Ino snapped her attention to the delusional pink-haired girl. "ME with Sasuke? As if! I already told you, I outgrew him! Akanali is mine! You can see him at our wedding!"

"The only way **YOU'LL** be at **HIS** wedding is with an apple in your mouth, **INO-PIG!**"

"AND THE ONLY WAY **YOU'LL** BE AT HIS WEDDING IS IF YOU COME WITH A TABLE CLOTH DRAPPED OVER YOUR FACE SO HE COULD USE YOUR FOREHEAD TO SERVE THE APPETIZERS!!!"

"SWINE!!!"

"FATHEAD!!!"

And with that, peace was already beginning to shatter in the city of Konoha...

-------------------------

Akanali, meanwhile, raced along the road, his mind intensely focused.

_Kaliana, my sister...I've been searching for you for years...I must find you...I must bring you to the Inuzuka Village, before old Kenji's time runs out...-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Okay, Naruto...let's go through this one more time..." Shikamaru started slowly.

Naruto merely rolled his eyes. "Yeah?"

"Okay...as you know, I read the letter already because you read like you need Hooked on Phonics."

Naruto growled in his throat as Shikamaru continued.

"Now then, I have to go home now because my family needs my help with some things. I'm going to be a good sport and let you finish the letter. But, Naruto, you have to promise that as soon as you're done, you will bring that letter **DIRECTLY** to Kakashi Sensei...alright?"

"Hmm...I dunno...could you repeat that one more time? And do it slower, that seems to help a lot."

Now, it was Shikamaru who growled at Naruto's sarcasm. He thrust the multi-page message in Naruto's stomach, accompanied by a harsh blow to the gut.

"Just do it." He snapped before walking away.

With a grumble that sounded much like Shikamaru's demand with a slight undertone of mockery, Naruto plopped himself on a rock and began flipping through the note until he found the page he was last on.

---------------------

Me and Aila followed Taire and his captors back down to the Sand Village, where the Kazekage would hear his case. I would be representing my sticky-fingered teammate with Aila as my co-council (And **YOU** said watching Law and Order every weekend was a waste of time!) I wasn't sure at first how I'd get around the judge, but then I remembered he was strangely fascinated by me since we first met. So, naturally, when he asked me to take the stand and plead Taire's case, he asked me to do it in his quarters. I figured, 'Whatever it takes to free Taire', and since this weirdo wanted to know my family history, I laid it out for him and yessed him to death; not once, mind you, did we discuss Taire's case. Anyway, long story short, he charged Tai as a minor and sentenced him to 8 months prohibition for dabbling in banditry, much to the dismay of the Sheik, who wanted to have his head. Anyways, in conjunction with Taire's sentence, it was passed that neither myself or my teammates were allowed into any Academy in the Wind Country henceforth. Lousy judicial system; at least Aila's parent's dropped the kidnapping charges and let her stay with us. There was more of a silver lining on our cloud of crappiness...an ANBU chief had watched the case play out, apparently from the beginning in the Waterfall Village where Taire was taken down originally. He approached us after the judgment and told us we exhibited a true team spirit he'd never before seen with any ninja squad. He said he was really impressed with how we stuck together, no matter what...------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_As the squad readied themselves to leave the Wind Country for good, a man appeared before them; an ANBU mask covering his face._

_"You three...I'm Rushiko Tagedate, chief of the sister academy to the fallen Dojo Hidden Beneath the Dunes. State your names."_

_"Aila Kazemara. Advanced Weapons Unit." Aila stepped up first._

_"Taire Kazemara." Taire answered next. "Elude and Pursue Unit."_

_"Kaliana Inuzuka...I'm the brains of the operation." Kaliana gleamed, despite her teammates weary eye-roll._

_Rushiko lifted his mask; a grin on his withered, scarred face. "It's nice to meet you three. I heard there was a small team of survivors from the Dojo. I'm happy to have finally found you. Especially you, Kaliana. I bring news about your Uncle."_

_"Uncle Kakashi? Is he okay?" She asked hopefully._

_"Your Uncle has pulled out of the ANBU a while ago, and is now training a squad of his own. I'm here because we are short-handed down at the ANBU, so I was wondering..."_

_"You want US to be in the ANBU Blackops?" Taire questioned in disbelief._

_Rushiko smiled and nodded. "In the sister school to the Dojo. It's similar to the fallen Dojo, only the missions are a lot harder and much more dangerous. You'll have to go into another bout of training, but it will be well worth it. I have a feeling you'll be the best agents I ever had the pleasure of training. So, what do ya say?"_

_"Hell yeah!" Kaliana shouted before her teammates could object. "We need to get back in the game! What do ya think, guys? Ya wanna go for it?"_

_The Kazemara's nodded in agreement. Kaliana leapt into the air with excitement._

_"Alright! Where's this sister dojo? I wanna get there as soon as possible."_

_Rushiko knelt down and whispered to the team as low as possible. "Our location...is in the Land of Snow."_

_Kaliana's excitiment faded. "You've got to be kidding me..."_

_"Not at all." The chief cheered. "In fact, your Uncle just got back from the Land of Snow with his squad. It's really not the same anymore. It's beautiful and warm...trust me, you'll like it."_

_With an unsure groan, Kaliana nodded and stepped forward. "Well...what're we waiting for then? Let's do this..."_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So we went there and trained. We hadn't been on a mission of any kind in almost a year and a half, so we had a butt-load of training to get done before the chief sent us anywhere. Like I said in the beginning of this letter...because of the secrecy we were to uphold, I wasn't allowed to write anything to you about my well-being...until now. We finally graduated and; since the great war, there has been a dramatic decrease in criminal activity, as I'm sure you already know. My job is done...and I'm coming home, Uncle Kakashi...I'll be there sometime this week, count on it. I can't wait to see you, and Kiba and Shikamaru. I can't wait to meet your squad and introduce you to mine. We are now Special Agents 0 (Codename- 'Big Boom'), 2 (Codename- 'Speed Racer') and 4 (Codename- 'Trainwreck'---I don't know why they'd name me that....). Put us together, and we're Special Unit 4-2-0; called in to clean out and clean up the bad guys. (Seriously, though...why did they call me Trainwreck???)

Again; I'll see you this week sometime. I love you with all my heart.

Kaliana

-------------------------

Naruto folded the letter and put it in his pocket, whereupon he pulled out the envelope and looked at the date on the back. It was dated last week.

"Uh-oh...I'd better get this letter to Kakashi Sensei ASAP!" With that, he took off towards Kakashi's house

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kiba leaned the box against the wall and held it steady with his knee. He then knocked on Kakashi's door. There was no answer. He knocked harder. Again, no one responded.

"Kiba...what're you doing?" Shikamaru asked from behind.

"Trying to bring this shit to Kakashi Sensei...but it doesn't look like he's home...and my mom's been bitching to me about getting this box out of her closet."

"I'll take it." Shikamaru offered. "I'll give it to Kakashi tomorrow."

Kiba obliged and handed Shikamaru the box. "Where's the letter?"

"Naruto's got it. He's on his way to give it to Kakashi Sensei right now." Shika informed as he cradled the box in his arms.

"Ooh..." Kiba winced. "You sure that was a good idea?"

Shikamaru shrugged "If Kakashi Sensei isn't here when he arrives, I'm sure he'll have enough sense to pin it on the door."

Kiba gave an uncertain grunt and started away. "Hope you're right, dude..."

---------------------------------------------------

10 Minutes after they left, Naruto arrived and knocked at the door. No answer. With a shrug, he took one of his shuriken and stuck it through the letter, and buried the shuriken in the wood of the door.

"There we go! He should be able to see that!" That said, Naruto turned and walked away.

No sooner did he leave, the wind gave a powerful blow...popping the shuriken out of the door and sending the pages of the letter drifting up; the breeze carrying them away in an instant.

-----------------------

Unbeknownst that Kakashi would never be informed of his niece's unexpected arrival, Naruto continued down the road, his mind racing with the thoughts of Kaliana and her self-described amazing team.

"Boy, if she's really Kakashi Sensei's niece, I'd sure like to meet her..." He said out loud to himself. "I wonder what she's like...."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The outskirts of Konoha were quiet, with only the occasional breeze whispering through the grass and flowers on the hill that overlooked the Leaf Village. The area was peaceful without the disruption of man-made sounds.

The tranquility of the picturesque scenery was interrupted as something big suddenly plummeted from the sky and landed on the ground with an earth-shaking **BOOM**! The birds ceased their chimes and evacuated in a hurry as the dust from the giant indentation masked the scenic country view. As the dust began to settle, the silence was once again pierced by a small squeal from up above that became louder as it neared the earth. It was a tiny gray and black mouse-looking creature; curled in a tight ball and ready for impact. A hand suddenly reached out of the indentation and caught the little rodent before collision with the earth. The creature sighed in relief and scurried up the shoulder of the figure that emerged from the hole; their appearance obscured by the flying dust.

She stepped out of the unsettled earth into the sunlight and lifted her ANBU mask, which revealed the beauty of her emerald green eyes. She wore a camouflage strapless sports top that was lined with black and revealed her well-packed abs; the buckles were gold. Her pants were black spandex from the knees up; sewn at the exposed sides with thick, red threads. From the knees down, the threading continued, attaching the lower-half of the pants, which also consisted of camo material that ended in a bell-bottom type of fashion. Her long silver hair was almost to the ground with two smaller lengths braided into pigtails that hung over her shoulders. Her head was topped with a black bandanna that held the metal plate sealed with the symbol of the Leaf Village. Along her exposed stomach, a lovely piece of jewelry dangled and was made up of beads of jade and other fine stones. Her right hand sported a leather glove with fishnetting up to the elbows; the palm expressing the red seal of a dragon. Her golashes-type boots were loaded with weaponry and were hand-crafted by her weapons-savvy teammate. She had 3 rings in each ear. Her outfit was completed by a black mask that covered half of her face.

She glanced over at the shaken creature on her shoulder, then stepped foreword and overlooked the city of Konoha.

"Wow..." She gushed. "Look how big it got..." It wasn't crammed with factories of pollution-pumping processing plants...no, it simply had a lot more people and a lot more buildings. She shuddered with anticipation. "I hope they have a mall now..."

She slowly brought her attention up to the sky, where she could clearly hear a faded scream. Taking immediate action, she leapt into the air and caught her teammate by the color of her shirt. She landed neatly and set Aila down gently.

"Sorry!" Kaliana squeaked sheepishly.

Aila gave her an angry glare before attempting to stand. "Nice landing." She hissed. "Next time you feel like flying, don't drag me along."

Kaliana rolled her eyes. "Oh come on! It's not like I forgot...**OH CRAP!**" She had once again brought her gaze up to the sky, only to discover Taire plummeting next. Thinking fast, Kaliana shoved Aila forward with her foot—basically kicking her--, causing the Sand Orphan to fall in the spot where Taire was about to land. The ebony-skinned shinobi winced upon feeling his sister beneath him, breaking his fall.

"You okay, Aila?" 26-year-old Taire asked with great concern.

"Fine..." The 23-year-old coughed out. "I'm...okay..."

Kaliana grinned and crossed her arms. "See? It wasn't that bad."

_"Heads up..."_ A voice came from above.

Kaliana looked up to see her new, colossal sword charging down upon her team. Having to use her noodle one more time, Kaliana snagged both of her teammates by the arms and yanked them out of the way. Hizoku landed where they were seated, burying its blade deep in the earth. Kaliana laughed.

"Flying is awesome! Y'all wanna do it again?"

**"NO!!"** Both Kazemara's answered simultaneously.

Kaliana sneered at their lack of adventure. "Party poopers..." She approached Hizoku and rubbed its handle gently, blushing.

Aila noticed immediately. "Someone's thinkin' about their new boyyyfriend...." She teased.

"Just because that sexy new Kazekage gave me this sword as a gift does **not** mean he's my boyfriend...it was just sitting in one of the old castles, collecting dust."

"Yeah, sure...that's why he gave it to you..." Taire laughed. "That's also why he lifted the ban and now we're allowed in the Sand Village again...riiiigghhhttt...."

Kaliana blushed slightly. "Well...maybe he was a little interested in lifting the ban so he could ask me out..." She laughed lightly.

_"Heads up..."_ The sword repeated in a voice only Kaliana could hear.

"What're you talking about? You've already landed." Kali mumbled.

_"I'm not talking about me..."_ The sword warned.

Kaliana and her teammates looked up, eyes wide. **"GOOD LORD!"**

Wasting no time, Kaliana pulled chakra out of the sword by lifting her arms in the air. She then covered her head most befitting for the preparation of an aerial attack. This formed a giant chakra barrier around Kaliana and her squad. The chakra dome went up just in time, as the clanging of many shuriken, kunai knives and other weapons rained down upon it. After a few moments, the clanging ceased, and Kaliana dropped the barrier. She flinched when she noticed the dirty looks her teammates shot her. She giggled lightly.

"...I believe that was the last of them..."

She spoke too soon, for a certain sickle and chain dropped suddenly, landing squarely on her noggin and knocking her to the ground.

"Okay...**THAT** was the last of them." She said, her voice muffled by the dirt.

"When will you learn to carry your weapons in a scroll like a normal ninja?" Aila sighed.

"Hey, if I did that, then each time I wanted one, I'd have to slice my finger open! It's less disfiguring to my appendages if I just carry them freely."

"Big baby..." Taire muttered.

"I don't like cutting myself!" Kali argued. "Why do you think I make Kuriochi stick around? You think I like his little 'presents' festering in my pockets? No...but it sure beats the hell outta mutilating myself. Now, be good and gather my shit for me. I'll meet you in town later." That said, she turned and started away.

"Wait!" Taire called. "Where're you going?"

"I haven't seen my family in 12 years! Where do you think I'm going?" She said as she pulled Hizoku free and started off again. "The most I might do before then is stop to take a bath."

"Go into the right bathroom this time." Aila warned. "Those little colorful drawings on each door indicate that one is for boys and the other is for girls."

"That pink and blue crap is politically incorrect." Kali hissed.

"No...you're just an idiot." Taire mumbled as he gathered the loose weapons.

"And YOU had better not impregnate anyone in this town!" Kaliana pointed accusingly at Taire. "You got slapped with 3 paternity suits on our last mission! Keep the monster in it's cage, will ya?"

"No promises." Taire smirked.

"Will you watch him?" Kali turned to Aila.

Aila shrugged. "I'll try my best...but you know, I have no control of him if he spots a blonde."

"Well just a reminder, we're here on "vacation" if anyone asks. Uncle Kakashi would kill me if he found out I got us kicked out of the ANBU Blackops...so, keep it on the down low, got it?"

"Trust me Kaliana...we're just as embarrassed as you are." Taire sighed.

"I can't believe you lied to your Uncle..." Aila sighed. "You told him in your letter that you graduated."

Kaliana brought her gaze back towards Konoha. She took a deep breath and started forward.

"I'll tell him...when the time is right, I'll tell him..."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as she disappeared from view, Aila leaned over to her brother.

"You think she'll really tell him what happened?"

Taire shook his head with uncertainty. "Conversing with the enemy is a mighty big offense. I mean, if the chief was pissed off enough to kick us out for catching her talking with that Sound Village guy, I can only imagine how her Uncle would react..."

"Do you believe her? I mean...when she said it wasn't what it looked like...do you think she was telling the truth?"

Taire took a deep breath. He remembered how hard Kaliana fought for him, even though he'd done something wrong, she protected him. He nodded.

"Yes, I believe her. There's gotta be another explanation...I mean, why would she be talking with a known criminal like Kabuto anyway???

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kaliana jogged down the hill towards Konoha. She smiled excitedly and quickened her pace.

"Uncle Kakashi...Kiba...Shikamaru...I'm coming home, you guys! I'm almost there!"

_"Is your Uncle aware of what you posses within your soul?"_ Hizoku inquired.

"Nah, that's an Inuzuka Legend. I doubt anyone's ever heard of it. It's no biggie, right? I mean, from what you told me, it's a pretty obscure legend. He knows we're related to Saint Masumi though...that is, if he ever got that letter..."

_"Yes, but the man you spoke with a week ago—the one who got you kicked out of the ANBU...he seemed knowledgeable and unyieldingly curious. Don't you fear he will learn of the secret location of the Fire Hound's scroll?"_

Kaliana stopped, her head down. "I...I didn't know who he was at the time...Besides, no one knows where that scroll is. Not even you. Also, it's not like he has a whole lot of help finding it. All those criminals are either dead or in hiding; you know that."

_"Just because they remain unseen doesn't mean they're not there...plotting. You must learn to be more cautious of people, Kaliana. You have no idea how much your power is coveted by others. The Fire Hound is a great commodity to them, and they will stop at nothing to get it."_

"Just the same; I know I'll be safe here."

_"And what makes you think that?"_

Kaliana stopped, her eyes down. "Because...my family loves me and I know they'll protect me, just as I'd protect them. That's how I know." She pressed onward towards the steepest part of the hill.

_"I can only hope you're right."_ The sword sighed. _"I just pray that none of the criminals you speak of are tenacious enough to be victorious. The Hound...is indescribably dangerous."_

"Don't worry yourself into a rust, Hizoku. I know exactly what I'm do---hey, I think I just saw Gai!!!"

_"Kaliana, watch where you're going!"_

As she stepped down, the ground gave way beneath her weight, and she went tumbling down the tall, rocky hill.

She rolled, bounced, flew through the air, bounced again, then slid to a stop at the base of the hill. She slowly picked up her head, dirt smeared across her mask. She pushed herself up, only to be smashed back into the ground as Hizoku landed on her head with a loud, sickening crack. She murmured something into the dirt before trying to push herself up again. With one more final blow, Kuriochi landed on the big lump on her head.

"Kuri ku..." He groaned, sliding off the bump onto her shoulder.

Kaliana looked over at him and smiled before getting to her feet shakily. She picked up Hizoku by the handle and stared forward at the city of Konoha. She smiled and let out a big sigh.

"Oh, yeah..." She said in a low, but confident tone. "We're gonna **ROCK** this town..."----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**THE END????**


End file.
